POL5023 - Criminal Justice and Employability

Objectives:

Assessment tasks are designed to enable students to demonstrate the Learning and Employability outcomes for the relevant level of study. Level Learning Outcomes are embedded in the assessment task(s) at that level. This enables a more integrated view of overall student performance at each level.

Content:

This module will enable students to appreciate the purpose, benefit, and responsibilities of the criminal justice system in a variety of contexts. Students will explore the role of the criminal justice system, the legislation the key issues surrounding this key area. This will build on their knowledge of victims and witnesses, and suspects and offenders. The module enables students to appreciate the importance of the stage of the court process, how diversity of individuals and society impact on the criminal justice system and how conduct and complaints are dealt with.

This module looks at the purpose of the criminal justice system and the responsibilities of those charged with delivering a professional service. Students will review the role of the current legislation and processes that support the criminal justice system and will be able to understand the importance of gathering evidence to enable offenders to be convicted. The module will cover the processes for provision of materials for disclosure by the Crown Prosecution Service, and the stages of the court process will be explored.

This module also encompasses the employability element, which traditionally would be a placement. Instead of a placement, students can choose to engage with the cold case unit, or skills of employability sessions using their 150 hours of placement time.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Sessions are divided into a mix of lectures, and workshops, encompassing practical based learning.

Lectures will build on theory and foundational concepts, utilising where possible digital learning tools, such as vevox and padlet to assist students in their understanding.

Workshops encompass inclusive learning methods, such as visual elements – gamification, storyboards, videos etc will be incorporated into lecture plans to assist with breaking down more complex material, and to ensure students are confident with basic concepts.

Modules at this level will introduce more practical elements of legislative practice, and examination of cases to start critical review work. Evidence-based policing will form the corner stone of the curriculum, encouraging students to build on their research skills, and understand how academic practice influences operational professional work.

Some modules will build on the problem-based learning which students were introduced to a Level 4, which will become more pertinent at this level with more complex decision making and problem-solving ideas introduced. Simulation of the ‘real world’ investigative environment both within and outside policing will be introduced, and the differing methods looked at in more detail.

Formative assessment will be built into weekly sessions to aid understanding, clarify misconceptions, and enable staff to ensure learning is being understood, and students are able to apply it correctly to their work. This module introduces an exam, which will emulate the specific type of exams used in policing. Students will be given weekly formative practice, and mock paper to attempt to ensure understanding with this.

Lectures
Hours: 30
Intended group size: 25 - 60

Workshops
Hours: 30
Intended group size: 25 - 60

Guided independent study
Hours: 260

Further details relating to assessment
Component 1: Exam: Students will take part in a 1-hour exam which will focus on the legislation associated with specific aspects of the pre-court criminal justice process.

Component 2: Written Assignment: Students will examine the term ‘justice’ and using a case study provided, or one they choose by negotiation with the module lead, will examine different concepts, from different perspectives, of criminal justice in the British Legal System.

Component 3&4: Written Assignment: Students on PPD will take part in a ‘placement’ consisting of study in the cold case unit, or a programme led employability skills course. This will be 150 hours in one of our professional investigative units, or an employability course which will take them through application, CV building, SEARCH Centre Assessments and final interview process. There will be an associated written assignment which will run alongside the student choice of ‘placement,’ and will be a reflective account of key experiences, together with a career path reflection of developing skills and knowledge.

Please Note: a) Engagement with / pass in, the Employability Phase (03) and pass in the Reflective Statement (04) is required, in line with university regulations.
b) The module must be passed (minimum 40) as a requirement of the College of Policing and cannot be condoned for marginal failure.

Assessment:

001 Exam; 1 hr; End sem 2 50%
002 Written Assignment; 2000 words; End sem 2 50%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Thomas Naden
Level - 5
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5S2

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