Course Resources Archive

This module provides a broad introduction to the nature and concerns of the discipline of criminology, introducing students to different perspectives on the definition, causes and meanings of crime. It explores the nature of responses to these crimes by examining the impact on victims, the community and policing and justice models designed to reduce and/or prevent such activity. It further examines increasing attention paid to the diversion of offenders away from such engagement.

Definitions and key concepts in crime and criminology.

Exploring the institutions in the criminal justice

Introduction to theories.

Youth and community justice.

Crimes against the environment.

Victimology.

Local, national and global crime and responses.

Policing

A student passing this module should:

1. Have an awareness of the different sources of information available to academics, policy-makers and the public on crime;
2. Understand the contested nature of what is (and is not) considered to be ‘crime’;
3. Have acquired knowledge of the contrasting schools of explanations that have emerged in relation to explaining criminal behaviour and crime causation
4. Assess the usefulness and limits of official statistics and other data related to crime and victimisation;
5. Recognise links between schools of criminological thought and selected current policies on crime and disorder.

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.