INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS - 2023/4

Module Overview

The Criminal Justice System comprises those institutions and agencies that are collectively responsible for managing a state’s response to crime and disorder. This module provides an introduction to the key agencies within contemporary criminal justice systems in England and Wales. We will focus on the role and function of the police service, prosecutors, courts, prisons and the probation service.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

AKRIVOS Dimitris (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Overview of the Criminal Justice System


• The Police


• The Crown Prosecution Service and the Prosecution Process


• The Courts Service and the Judiciary


• Prisons and Punishment


• The Probation Service, Offender Management and NOMS


• Youth Justice


• Minority Ethnic Communities and the Criminal Justice System


• Victims and Restorative Justice


• Miscarriages of Justice

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their in-depth knowledge of theoretical and policy issues relating to the criminal justice system.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• An analysis of news article – 50% of the module mark;


• An essay designed to assess students’ knowledge of module content – 50% of the module mark.

 

Formative assessment and feedback

• The final session is dedicated to essay preparation advice, hints and tips.

Module aims

• The state's response to crime in England and Wales
• The ways that criminal justice has developed over time
• Themes and debates that characterise contemporary criminal justice

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to reflect the programme’s key learning and teaching aims by:

• Developing students’ in-depth understanding of the role and functions of the criminal justice system;


• Engendering knowledge of  key theoretical conceptualisations of the criminal justice process;


• Developing understandings of the relationship between CJS policy and practice and how this impacts upon minority groups;


• Developing key study skills that relate to employability.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures (1 hour per week)


• Seminars (1 hour per week)


• Class exercises


• Class discussions


• Independent study

Each session focuses on one aspect of the criminal justice system. Sessions are split between lectures which aim to provide a broad introduction to a topic and seminars which aim to allow more in-depth discussion of key issues although interaction between lecturer and students is encouraged throughout. There will also be use of forms of media such as TV, film and radio. 

Each session has one piece of primary reading which all students are expected to read. This reading provides the basis for class discussions. Additional reading is strongly encouraged too.

 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOC1035

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.