POL6043 - Serious and Organised Crime

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 to understand this key area of policing – serious and organised crime with a particular focus on digital crime and counter terrorism. Students will explore policing technologies and the emerging prevalence of digitally facilitated crimes. Students will consider the role of the dark web, social media, hacking (and other forms of complex digital facilitated crimes) and the variety of devices being used in policing and crime contexts. Students will explore the key counter terrorism terminology and concepts and the organisational structures that exist in counter terrorism policing. There will be a particular focus on key legislation that is relevant to counter terrorism policing, gathering intelligence and how to prevent home grown terrorism.

Students will consider how technology may be used in everyday policing, from community engagement to data analysis and criminal investigations. They will be introduced to legislation and regulations concerning the use of policing technologies and specific legislation associated with digital-facilitated crimes. Common digital-facilitated crimes, such as: hate crime, sexting, revenge porn, anti-social behaviour, bullying, child grooming and online fraud will be examined, and how some individuals may be particularly vulnerable to them. The impact of digital-facilitated crimes on the individual and family will be considered. This module will cover the essential knowledge required to deal with the ever-growing threat of terrorism. The key counter terrorism terminology/concepts such as radicalisation, extremism and interventions will be explored. There will be critical discussions regarding the validity of the CONTEST strategy and other forms of interventions used to combat terrorism. The module will cover the different organisational structures and inter-relationships that exist in counter terrorism policing such as the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and Special Branch. The key legislation relevant to counter terrorism will be covered in detail as well as the role of the police in gathering intelligence that can combat terrorism. The module will also analyse the potential links between terrorism and other forms of criminality.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Lectures
Hours: 30
Intended Group Size: 25-60

Workshops
Hours: 10
Intended Group Size: 25-60

Guided independent study
Hours: 260



Further Details Relating to Assessment

Component 1: Case File: Students will produce a case file based upon their practical scenario focussing on gathering and presenting the evidence available in a case file format, which is charging standard ready to be taken to CPS.

Component 2: Practical Scenario: Students will take part in a 4-hour practical group scenario which will focus on a serious and organised crime case. During the scenario they will each take turns to be the leader of their team, make decisions and progress the investigation to a successful outcome.

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 will utilise oral skills in debate and being able to rationale and evidence base opinion and decision making.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 6
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered -

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