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On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the key elements and components of criminal justice systems in England and Wales and from wider international perspectives;
Discuss the diverse aims that the key elements and components of the criminal justice system may have and their relation to wider community notions of justice and sanctions;
Analyse tensions and inequalities within criminal justice systems.
This module provides a survey of the key elements of criminal justice systems: the main agencies (police, courts, prison, and probation service); their variation over time and their diverse aims which these agencies may have. This is followed by critical reflection of topics, such as: the politics of law and order, community sanctions, probation and post-punishment care, and new types of crime that pose challenges to contemporary criminal justice system. The focus on the module will be the criminal justice system in England and Wales, but international comparisons will help provide wider perspectives.
The first part of the module establishes core knowledge of the criminal justice system, using a variety of means, such as mini-lectures, group-work, and seminar work. Guest speakers from relevant agencies and institutions will be used to help translate between policy and procedure and real-life experience. Relevant agencies will include the police, the judiciary, Youth Offending Team, Victim Support and advocacy organisations.
The second part of the module reviews the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in the light of wider social concerns and challenges. It also expands the comparative perpsective, focusing more directly on non-British justice systems. This part of the module will aim to draw upon issues that offer opportunities for the application of sociological perspectives on the provision of justice. Such topics should be recent and high-profile. Examples would be: social discrimination (race, gender, religion), the role of race, gender, and religion in profiling and suspicion, miscarriages of justice, anti-terrorism strategies, mental health and crime.
Seminars/workshops
Hours: 40
Intended Group size: 30
Guided independent study
Hours: 160
Further details relating to assessment
Assessment 1 – Directed activities: these consist of weekly tasks that must be completed and submitted for inspection at timetabled sessions each week. The assessment will be assessed on a pass/fail basis with a pass requiring at least 75% of all weekly tasks to be completed successfully. A pass will lead to the full award of 10% towards the final module mark. A fail in directed activities will contribute 0% to the final mark.
Assessment 2 – the report will take the form of an information sheet about the court process, prison, mental health services, sentencing, and post-prison care (&c), which will be written for someone recently convicted in court or their family. This will convey accurate, pertinent information, but will be written in non-academic tone and style in order to introduce the important skill of communicating clearly and accessible about the workings of the Criminal Justice System.
Assessment 3 - the essay will be a sociological analysis of a topical high-profile case, outside England and Wales that involves contentious aspects of the justice system.
Other relevant matters
The module establishes a general context of knowledge and critical reflection for the later modules, such as SOC 5032 Policing and SOC 6022 Prisons and Punishment.
001 Directed Activities 10%
002 Essay 2000 words mid semester 45%
003 Report 2000 words end of semester 45%
Module Coordinator - SARAH BARNES
Level - 4
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 4S2
