CRIME, POWER AND JUSTICE - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module examines the contemporary issues affecting equality and the criminal justice system in the UK. The module considers whether different sections of society are treated in an equal and fair fashion by the criminal justice system, with a focus upon issues surrounding social inequality, race and ethnicity, religion, youth, gender and criminal justice. The issues and tensions that confront the wide range of participants in criminal justice processes will be examined and the cultural and political contexts in which discrimination, marginalisation and victimisation occur, both within and outside of the criminal justice system, will be considered. The contributory factors behind a range of riots and disorders will also be critically assessed.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

SETTY Emily (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

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

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Introduction to the Module/Outline of Key Concepts


• Diversity and Justice I: Racist Harassment and Social Exclusion


• Antiracism and Community Cohesion


• Policing, Islamophobia and the Post-7/7 Climate


• Social Exclusion and Disorders: the 1981, 2001 and 2011 Riots; hooliganism and the English Defence League


• Diversity and Justice II: Sexuality and Gender


• Youth Justice


• The Prison, Mass Imprisonment and Social Welfare


• Police Powers and Inequality

 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to assist students in learning about inequalities and the criminal justice system. It enables them to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of issues of marginalisation and social exclusion, and how these affect relations between communities affected by these issues and the criminal justice system.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

1. Critical Review of a Paper (40%) 1,500 words


2. Essay (60%) 2,000 words

Formative assessment and feedback

Students will have the opportunity to produce a essay plan for the second part of the assessment (Essay 60%). Students are encouraged to see the module leader about their work. In addition to this, students are set a number of formative exercises, including tests, which directly feed into to their assignments.

Module aims

• Introduce debates and controversies in contemporary society surrounding issues such as marginalisation, social exclusion and discrimination
• Examine contemporary problems for criminal justice, such as disorders, within the above context
• Outline contemporary approaches in criminal justice and how they relate to inequalities in society 

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: SOC2063

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.