Aims

Criminology and Criminal Justice is a module covering the criminal justice and policy with particular reference to England and Wales. It will foster critical understanding and evaluation of criminal justice processes locally, nationally and internationally. The course will seek to address some of the current issues and debates surrounding criminal justice.


1. To introduce students to criminological theory and the criminal justice process, policy and theoretical debates.

2. To develop and apply the conceptual, critical and analytical skills to the institutional and procedural issues associated with contemporary Criminal Justice.

3. To develop a critical understanding and evaluation of the areas of debates within criminal justice.

4. To assess the role of material from other jurisdictions as a source of understanding and criticism of the UK experience.

5. To carry out independent research on a topic of contemporary relevance.

Outline Of Syllabus

Block 1: Contemporary Theoretical debates in criminology

Block 2: Evaluating Criminal Justice: including - Policing; Prosecution; Court and Trial Process (Criminal Trial); Sentencing (Custody/Community/Sport and diversionary strategies)

Block 3: Contemporary issues in criminology and criminal justice (to be confirmed year by year - including youth justice, restorative justice, victims of crime, gender and crime, equality and criminal justice).

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The teaching methods are designed to reflect an interactive and inclusive approach to teaching through in person, online discussions, in person and online activities as well as a variety of guided student activities. It allows students to explore their own particular interests within the field of criminal justice. Teaching methods promote critical analysis and awareness providing the opportunity for skills to be developed within group presentation, individual preparation of the research paper relating to a contemporary issue in criminal justice etc.,

The module will be capped at 100 with 4 groups of no more than 20-25. A 2-hour workshop (with a break in between) will be used over 7 weeks. It also provides for a simple structure.

Lecture slots of 2x 1.30mins to allow for guest lectures/webinars

Sessions will be skills and substantive knowledge focused taking into account the Graduate Framework and Education for Life strategy.

The workshop model utilises skills to enhance the development of substantive knowledge and be research led. There will be a range of activities used within the workshop but all online lecture material/online discussions and drop ins will be geared to working towards the Workshops and assessment.

Teaching room: appropriate for collaborative working

Meets the criteria of over 50% of the 33 hours being in person based

Fieldwork (options to be open to students to decide and will link to the appropriate workshop)
Option 1: Crime and the Environment
Activity: students asked to walk around their local area (socially distanced) to observe from a criminal justice perspective and consider the impact of criminal justice policies on their local area – this may include policing, designing out crime. This can be carried out in Newcastle or wherever they are living.
FLEX: Shielded/online alternative: to look at resources such as the Police Crime Mapping database and analyse crime in their local area from the official statistics as well as looking at newspaper reports or online local report of crime/police responses. This can be done at home
The Tutor will post a series of questions that can be done equally through both the default and the alternate approach. And they will equally be able to feed into the small group session. The links will be posted on Canvas for all to access.

Option 2: Court observation: observation at the Magistrates Court or Crown Court to which students will have to prepare an observation schedule for discussion at one of the Workshops.
FLEX: I am looking if students can attend online court hearings which should allow for public access (this might be an option). For academic year 22/23 this will link with the summative assessment.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Formative: Students will be asked to prepare a reflective log in preparation for their summative research paper. This was piloted in 21/22 (as part of the NU Reflect Pilot) and refined in 22/23. Students are provided with a template to complete. This includes a rationale for choosing the research paper topic, planning, outline and time management plan of how they will complete the research paper.

Summative: The assessed research paper provides students with the opportunity of demonstrating their research skills and understanding the relationship between criminal justice policy and criminological debates. The research paper reflects the nature of the module and will focus on current criminal justice consultations/contemporary issues.