SOC6072 - Criminal Investigation and Serious Crime

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Critically assess the process of complex criminal investigations in accordance with current national standards.
Critique a range of complex contemporary criminal investigations and demonstrate an awareness of the various operational strategies and supporting techniques used to tackle serious crime.
Critically assess a range of scientific, forensic and technical techniques used within criminal investigations.
Evaluate the reasons for investigative failure within serious criminal investigations whilst demonstrating an understanding of the various methods designed to reduce investigative pitfalls.

Content:

This module offers you a broad introduction to the field of criminal investigation with regards to the detection of serious offenders (e.g. serial murderers, sex offenders, terrorists etc) and complex investigations (e.g. cold cases and cyber-crime). Within the module you will explore the development of investigative practice, the techniques used within criminal investigation, investigative decision making, the agencies involved within criminal investigations, the range of scientific procedures available to investigators, and the challenges involved within complex criminal investigation and how those challenges may de-rail an investigation. The module will include various case studies alongside guest speakers who have experience investigating serious crime. The importance of working with differing agencies within criminal investigations will be explored including the: coroner, the media, social services, and international organisations.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Learning and teaching methods will be structured around interactive lectures which include student-led activities. Students will be supported by workshop activities, such as directed reading and writing, seminar debates, student-led presentations, and guidance and support for the critical skills and presentation techniques or tools to be employed. Feedback on student work and feed-forward guidance will be central to this module.

Seminars/workshops
Hours: 32
Intended Group Size: 30

Guided independent study
Hours: 168

Further details relating to assessment
Assessment 1 - Students will write a critical essay exploring the development of complex criminal investigation exploring how modern investigative techniques and procedures have improved criminal investigation.

Assessment:

001 Essay 3500 words End of Semester 1 100%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Robert Hornsby
Level - 6
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 6S1

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