PRISONS AND PRISONERS - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module will focus specifically on the use of prisons as a form of punishment in society. This will include an examination of the growing prison crisis, the rise of supermax prisons and the privatisation of prisons. It will also consider how particular social groups experience prison, and the harms of imprisonment for individuals.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

ADAMS Maria (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

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

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• The prisons crisis


•  Life on the ‘inside’


•  Prison Privatisation


• Supermax prisons


• Global trends in imprisonment


• Alternatives to prison

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Assessment Strategy

Their understanding of the key developments in penology relating to the use of prisons and the experiences of prisoners.

The module is assessed with a 2000-word extended essay and a 1000-word commentary on a documentary/film. Both assessments will require students to demonstrate their understanding about the topics covered and to apply a critical approach to respond to some of the complexities about issues related to prisons.

 Learning Outcomes

• Understand the key developments in the use of prison in western societies

• Have a critical awareness of the role of prison in modern societies, and the implications of the rising prison population


• Be familiar with the issues facing prisoners inside and outside prison


• Be able to link current prison policy to the theoretical justifications for punishment outlined by penologists

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

The Summative assessment will consist of two aspects:
 

• A 2000-word extended essay (60%)


• A 1000-word commentary on a documentary/film

Formative assessment and feedback

Students are asked to prepare for tutorials each work. These include reading materials and answering questions about them.

Students also can produce a formative essay plan prior to submission of the mid-term essay and to discuss this plan with the lecturer. Classroom time is devoted to discussion and feedback concerning essay and exam techniques.

Module aims

• To explore the use of prison in western societies
• To consider specific issues relating to the growth of imprisonment, including the crisis of containment and the increasing use of privatisation
• To look at recent alternatives to imprisonment, and their impact on the prison population

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Provide students with a detailed understanding of the uses and abuses of prisons in society, as well as the experiences of prisoners. By the end of the module students will be expert ‘penologists’ able to engage with debates on the experience of prisoners and the complex political and sociological arguments around the use of prisons. The mix of lectures and discussion provides a flexible framework for engaging with the various forms and uses of prisons throughout society, exposing students to key literature whilst allowing a forum for more in depth discussion.

The learning and teaching methods include:

•  1 hour lecture and 1 hour seminar.

 

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: SOC3055

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.