PUNISHMENT AND SOCIETY - 2024/5
Module code: SOC2073
Module Overview
The module explores the variety of ways that individuals, groups and states have responded to crime problems, looking at the philosophical justifications and the sociological explanations. It will consider the way of punishment has been implemented, what they intended to achieve and their outcomes.
Module provider
Sociology
Module Leader
ADAMS Maria (Sociology)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 5
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Independent Learning Hours: 106
Lecture Hours: 11
Seminar Hours: 11
Guided Learning: 11
Captured Content: 11
Module Availability
Semester 2
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
None
Module content
- Why punish? Its justifications and aims
- Sociological perspectives on punishment
- Punishment in history
- Changing patterns of punishment
- Prisons
- The death penalty
- Immigration centres
- Secondary punishment (of families)
- Restorative justice
- Social control
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | CASE STUDY (1500 WORDS) | 40 |
| Coursework | ESSAY (2000 WORDS) | 60 |
Alternative Assessment
N/A
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:
Their engagement with key debates relating to punishment in society. The module is assessed with a case study and essay.
Learning Outcome:
1) Understand the factors accounting for the occurrence of different forms of punishment in society. Assessed by: Case study and Essay.
2) Be familiar with the key academic literatures on the role of punishment. Assessed by: Case study and Essay.
3) Have a critical awareness of different political perspectives on the use of punishment. Assessed by: Essay.
4) Be able to apply a theoretical understanding of the role of punishment to specific criminal justice responses adopted in society. Assessed by: Case study.
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
Case study- This case study will critically examine one theoretical perspective to examine the relevance of punishment in today’s society (1500 words) 40%. Week 5
Essay- This will be 2000 word essay exploring contemporary topics on punishment in today’s society (2000 words) 60% Week 12
Formative assessment and feedback
Students are asked to prepare for tutorials each week. These include reading materials and answering questions about them.
Students are encouraged to produce a formative assessment on week 9. The formative assessment will be an essay plan for the 2000 word essay. Students are given written feedback, but they are also able to meet with the course convenor to discuss in more detail.
Module aims
- To explore the variety of ways that society responds to crime, and consider their philosophical justifications
- To contrast philosophical justifications for punishment with sociological explanations put forward by key penal theorists
- To examine specific forms of punishment and link these with the key theoretical and sociological debates around the role of punishment in society
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
| 1 | Understand the factors accounting for the occurrence of different forms of punishment in society | KT |
| 2 | Be familiar with the key academic literatures on the role of punishment | KC |
| 3 | Have a critical awareness of different political perspectives on the use of punishment | KCPT |
| 4 | Be able to apply a theoretical understanding of the role of punishment to specific criminal justice responses adopted in society | KCPT |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:
Provide students with a detailed understanding of the forms of criminal punishment that are prevalent in society. By the end of the module students will be expert ‘penologists’ able to engage with debates on the nature and purpose of punishment, as well as engage with specific questions relating to particular types of punishment. Practical and theoretical debates will be covered throughout. Each two-hour session will be a mix of traditional lecturers and interactive activities.
The learning and teaching methods include:
lectures and seminars
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.
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: SOC2073
Other information
The School of Sociology is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:
Employability: students develop a range of critical thinking and academic skills that are transferable to the field of employment. Lecturers include a section on ‘employability and professional development’ on Surrey Learn for topics discussed in class. This details the specific career pathways the lecture is linked to, with hyperlinks to further information.
Digital capabilities: students engage with digital technologies such as Padlet in sharing ideas in class. Lectures and seminars incorporate different methods of content communication, include the use of video, embedded podcasts and links to ‘interactive prisons’.
Global and cultural capabilities: students comparatively consider criminal justice systems across the globe. In the second assignment students have the option to discuss various punishments from a global perspective critically analysing their enactment within different cultural contexts.
Resourcefulness and resilience: students are required to complete independent research and reading outside of teaching contact hours. In assessment students are encouraged to develop their own original ideas through self-directed critical engagement with the field of criminology. Lecturers facilitate this process through signposting to helpful resources.
Programmes this module appears in
| Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminology with Forensic Investigation BSc (Hons) | 2 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Criminology BSc (Hons) | 2 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Criminology and Sociology BSc (Hons) | 2 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Law with Criminology LLB (Hons) | 2 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
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 2024/5 academic year.