Conduct a critical, sociological exploration of the prison - more specifically, the experience of imprisonment. You will deal with concepts such as time and liminality, renegotiations of identity and masculinities, coping, and negotiations of gender to unpack the implications of being in the prison environment on individual prisoners.
Gain theoretical and practical understanding of the nature of gender, crime and criminal justice in both domestic and international contexts.
Discover the crimes that have shaped the 20th and 21st century, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Consider the experience of vulnerable people within all areas of the criminal justice system including the police, courts, probation and the prison service. You will engage in critical debates about the criminal justice process and explore how each stage can impact on vulnerable groups including people with mental health difficulties, young people, older people, mothers and people with drug and alcohol dependency.
Trace the historical, economic, and social contexts wherein race and ethnicity come to be associated with crime, victimisation, and disproportion in the criminal justice system. From individual racist violence to state crime, you'll examine race and ethnicity in relation to both visible and hidden victimisation. You'll also explore these factors as a source of fears of criminality and threat to social order.
Critically examine terrorism, policing and security from an interdisciplinary perspective. You will analyse how terrorism, policing and security have emerged as political and law enforcement priorities and analyse the impact this has had in the respective areas of human rights, civil liberties and the criminalisation of particular groups in society. You will be equipped with the ability to think independently and critically about terrorism, policing and security while at the same time challenging orthodox understandings of the subject matter.
Look into competing explanations for acts of violent and sexual offending in both domestic and institutional settings, touching on gender, ethnicity and age issues.
Explore the complexities of the sex industry, and related criminological issues and policy. This module will consider both the motivations of those who purchase sexual services and the diverse reasons why individuals are involved in the provision of sexual services. You'll identify the cultural factors which impact on this global industry and the nature and extent of crime and victimisation in indoor and outdoor sex work. This module will also address theoretical understandings of sex work/prostitution, their influences, and the way they impact on the way the industry is controlled. This will include law and policy in Britain and internationally. You'll also understand how these policies impact on sex workers and communities.
Enlighten and expand your criminological knowledge by learning how the artificial distinction between crimes depending on the status of the criminal has been deliberately constructed through the historical development of law and its application by the state institutions. You will understand the debate about the constitution and definition of what is 'crime'; the socio-legal status of 'crimes' and 'harms'; legal, regulatory and enforcement bias; and questions of power in crime.
Engage with the development of criminal justice policies at a national and global level, drawing on sociological, social policy and socio-legal perspectives. You will investigate the complex inter-relationships between theory, policy and practice in the field of criminal justice. You will be encouraged to evaluate different sources of knowledge about crime and criminal justice, and focus on the role of academic research in shaping and evaluating criminal justice policies.
Explore a range of competing explanations for gendered violence with a particular focus on domestic violence.
Study the historical and socially constructed nature of freedom, crime and criminality within the law. You will look at examples of social movements that illuminate how the law itself is a field of contestation, including piracy, file sharing and poll tax rebellion.
Gain a critical understanding of the lived experiences of individuals who are seeking support to stop offending and recover from substance abuse. You'll explore the connections between theory, policy and practice, in order to support desistance and recovery, to reduce reoffending and improve resettlement.
Taught at HMP Full Sutton as part of the Learning Together Network initiative, you will explore the core elements of penology with a specific focus on the philosophy of punishment, the prison as a total institution and prison sociology. This module involves a selection process.
Look at the cultural and social relationship between tattoos and crime, including the symbolism of tattooing and criminal identity.
Engage with the practice of criminology in a real world context through a period of work-based learning. You'll gain practical experience of a professional work area related to your course.
Study the recent history of youth justice. You'll gain an understanding of the historical developments and origins of youth justice policy and practice, from within the UK and from an international perspective.