Introductory description

This master's module will offer a critical introduction to key concepts in criminology. The module takes a theoretical and conceptual focus that seek to explore what is crime and why people engage in it, and considers how we have response to crime in contemporary societies. The module seeks to invite students to take a critical, activist approach to the problems posed by contemporary criminal justice.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

• Week 1: Introduction: The concept of crime, its extent and its context
  Part I: Explaining Crime through Criminological Theories
• Week 2: Crime and the Self: Positivism, Determinism and the Birth of Criminology
• Week 3: Crime and Capitalism: Marxist & Critical Criminological explanations of crime
• Week 4: Crime and Values: Durkheim's Anomie & Merton's Strain Theory
• Week 5: Crime, Meaning and Culture: Labelling and Criminalisation Part II: Problematising Criminal Justice
• Week 6: The police: what is it for and who is it for?
• Week 7: The problem of modern punishment: its socio-political function Part Ill: Addressing Contemporary Criminal Justice Problems
• Week 8: The prisons crisis: expansion, reform or abolition?
• Week 9: Restorative Justice, Transformative Justice & Structural Change
• Week 10: Conclusion: Overview and Assignment Preparation

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• To develop advanced knowledge in key theoretical perspectives explaining the phenomenon of crime;
• To demonstrate appreciation of current issues and debates in contemporary criminal justice;
• To advance students' research skills: in analysing secondary data in criminal justice, including trends and patterns in crime, sentencing and imprisonment; in reading and understanding complex theoretical material; and in engaging with contemporary ethnographic and qualitative research in criminal justice;
• To link theory, empirical research, policy and practice in criminology and criminal justice;
• To develop critical analytical skills to challenge current rhetoric in criminal justice and to enable good analytical skills in the field of criminology;
• To improve students' ability to work independently and critically on issues of crime, punishment and justice.

Indicative reading list

1. Illustrative Bibliography
2. Carrabine, E. Cox, P. , Fussey, P., Hobbs, D., South, N., Thiel, D., Turton, J. (2014) Criminology (Third Edition) (London: Routledge).
3. Durkheim, E. (1893 [20141) The Division of Labour in Society. (New York: Free Press).
4. Durkheim, E. (1975) "Two Laws of Penal Evolution." Economy and Society, 2(3): 285-308.
5. Durkheim, E. (2013) "The Rules of Sociological Method.", extracted in S. Lukes and A. Scull (eds), Durkheim and the Law, edited by S. Lukes and A. Scull. (eds), (London: Palgrave Macmillan).
6. Elias, N. (1994/2000) The Civilising Process. (Malden: Blackwell).
7. Ericson, R. (2007) Crime in an Insecure World. (Cambridge, UK: Polity Press).
8. Foucault, M. (1975) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. (New York: Vintage Books).
9. Garland, D. (2001) The Culture of Control. (Oxford: OUP).
10. Hale, C., Hayward, K., Wahidin, A., Wincup E. (2013) Criminology (3rd Edition) (Oxford: Oxford University Press).
11. Liebling, A., and S. Maruna, S. (2005.) The Effects of Imprisonment. (Devon, UK: Willan).
12. Loader, I. and Walker, N. (2007) Civilizing Security. (Cambridge: CUP).
13. Maguire, M., Morgan, R. and Reiner, R. eds. (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 5th ed. (Oxford: OUP).
14. McLaughlin, E. and Muncie, J. eds. (2013) Criminological Perspectives. Essential Readings. 3rd ed. (London: Sage).
15. Newburn, T. (2017) Criminology (3rd Edition) (London: Routledge).
16. Pratt, J. (2002) Punishment and Civilization, (London: Sage).
17. Reiner, R. (2007) Law and Order: An Honest Citizens Guide to Crime and Control. (Cambridge: Polity).
18. Reiner, R. (2016) Crime. (Cambridge: Polity).
19. Wacquant, L (2004) Punishing the Poor: The Neoliberal Government of Social Insecurity. (Durham NC: Duke University Press).

Research element

See subject specific skills outlined above. The module is research-led and weekly seminars will draw on research-based readings. Students will be evaluated via a book review and a research-based essay.

Interdisciplinary

The subject of the modules draws from scholarship in socio-legal studies, sociology, criminology and sociology, among other social sciences disciplines.

International

Case studies and examples discussed in the module will be from different jurisdictions, including as much as possible global South perspectives. Having said this, most criminological content that is accessible to students is Anglo-American. As such, it's likely that much of the reading material will draw primarily from the UK, US, Canada, Australia and South Africa.

Subject specific skills

Subject Specific:

1. Explain the problematic nature of the concept of crime and be able to discuss its conceptual and contextual foundations
2. Develop advanced understandings of key theories explaining crime as discussed in the discipline of criminology
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the key principles, values and practices of contemporary criminal justice in England and Wales
4. Show awareness of key trends and demographic data on who is arrested, processed and punished in the English & Welsh justice system
5. Have a critical understanding of the function of the police, discussions on its legitimacy and accountability and have an ability to apply these discussions to current issues around racial discrimination
6. Demonstrate an appreciation of the diversity and range of punishment and alternative justice approaches available in a global context
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the historical, political, and colonial origins of the modern prison.
8. Critically analyse the social, legal, political, and economic impacts of punishment
9. Compare and evaluate different theories and logics of imprisonment and justice and understand the basis of current crises in the prisons field.
10. Assess empirical evidence on successes and failures in criminal justice
11. Demonstrate an understanding of key problems, issues and debates within penal policy
12. Develop creative responses to pursuits of justice

Transferable skills

1. Deploy text-and internet based research skills at an appropriate standard for Level 7.
2. Understand and adopt reflexive reading practices
3. Understand and adopt skills in policy evaluation
4. Demonstrate adequate skill in locating, evaluating, summarising and applying scholarly information
5. Undertake directed research for the purposes of producing written assignments
6. Express points of view clearly and effectively in class discussions
7. Engage in critical self-reflection about one’s own opinions and perspectives
8. Understand the epistemological relevance of one’s own social location, personal experience and identity when approaching social, political and legal problems
9. Deploy critical argumentation and debating skills
10. Demonstrate an ability to work independently
11. Develop team working skills and oral presentation skills.