CRIM4002: Exploring the Criminal Justice System

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to equip students with a real-world understanding of the criminal justice system (CJS) in England and Wales. Students will engage with the various agencies involved in administering justice, as well as the concepts, principles and processes that underpin the justice system.

We will explore the extent to which ‘justice’ is achieved as an outcome of our criminal justice system. We will also explore ‘injustice’ through miscarriages of justice. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the powers and decision-making processes of the Criminal Justice System, as well as those that are subject to them, as potential perpetrators, offenders and as victims.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the major areas of the criminal justice, the agencies involved and the criminal justice process that underpins the ‘system’;
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and principles that underpin criminal justice;
3. Display knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues and debates in criminal justice.
4. Identify the links between criminological theory and current CJS practices.

Outline Syllabus

Over the course of the semester, the module will explore the complex structure and organisation of the criminal justice system and agencies involved in the administration of justice.

It will then systematically explore the function and processes of each of the key agencies involved; such as the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the Courts, Prison, Probation and the Third Sector.

We will also hear from individuals with lived experience and those working within the different criminal justice agencies to allow students to consider how the issues we discuss in the classroom play out in practice, and indeed in the wider society.

Two themes will feature heavily in this module: justice and injustice. Students will have the opportunity to explore what ‘justice’ entails and how successful or unsuccessful the CSJ in delivering justice to the victims, perpetrators, offenders and society.

Assessment Proportions

The module will be delivered through weekly lectures and bi-weekly group workshops across the semester. There will be also directed reading which aligns with the weekly topics, as well as relevant documentaries, podcasts, news articles or court cases/sentencing outcomes that tie in the module content.

CRIM4003: Doing Criminology: How We Know About Crime

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas 
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to introduce core study skills and research methods for first year students to provide them with transferable (academic and career) skills that will allow them to plan, manage and evaluate research. The module provides a solid foundation for the second-year core methods course and for third years who choose to do the dissertation module, as well as for understanding the methods underpinning academic materials they will encounter across their studies. The module also aims to embed softer academic skills for ‘success’ into the curriculum to complement the ‘doing criminology’ ethos of the module.

A secondary aim of the module is to introduce students to a range of criminological topics that they may explore in further depth at later points in their degree programme.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the criminological research process
2. Conduct a literature review using a diverse range of tools and cognitive abilities
3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding around ‘methodology’ including planning and organization skills
4. Demonstrate ability to conduct basic empirical research

Outline Syllabus

Lectures will cover a range of topics reflecting current and recent research interests of the criminology team and will change year-on-year. The substantive content of these lectures will serve as a ‘taster’ for the range of topics that fall under ‘criminology’, but will also introduce students to the various research methods and academic skills that underpin criminology. It is the research methods and skills that are the important component of the module in terms of aims, learning outcomes, assessment, and student progression/scaffolding across their full degree programme.

Students will learn what research is and how it is produced. Each week an element of researching criminology and criminal justice will be de/re-constructed.

Indicative workshop content:

Understanding how ‘data’ becomes research

• Introduction to research ethics
• How to search for and review research literature.
• Introduction to methodology and methods
• Introduction to quantitative research
• Introduction to qualitative research
• Conducting participant observation
• Academic writing skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Planning, organising and time management skills
• Improving focus and productivity skills

Assessment Proportions

Module delivery will be through interactive lectures and workshops. Lectures will cover topics that criminology staff are (or have recently been) actively researching. Workshops will focus on study skills and research methods, using the lecture topics as exemplars.

Student confidence in understanding research methods will be fostered using two-way communication to facilitate learning whilst ‘doing’; applying content to practical exercises and embedding softer academic/transferable skills for ‘success’. The module handbook will outline lectures, tasks, assessments and scheduled readings. The chosen assessments embed the learning outcomes, provide varied modalities to engage deeper learning, and develop applied research skills.

CRIM4004: Crime and Popular Culture

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to explore how crime and deviance are represented, interpreted, and consumed within popular culture, and how these representations shape social understandings of crime, justice, and transgression. The module will focus upon contemporary and historical media (including film, television, literature, podcasts, and social media) and seeks to develop students’ subject-specific knowledge of representation alongside transferable skills in critical thinking, research, and communication. The module is offered as part of the programme to enable students to interrogate the cultural significance of crime narratives, understand the relationship between “real-world” crime and its mediated forms, and develop analytical and communicative capacities relevant to academic study and future professional contexts.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Demonstrate an understanding of key theories of representation and popular culture as they relate to crime and justice.
2. Describe research-informed perspectives to show how popular culture products reproduce, reinforce, or challenge dominant discourses surrounding crime and deviance.
3. Communicate effectively complex ideas effectively designed forto academic and non-academic audiences, using appropriate formats, styles, and media.
4. Reflect on the social, cultural, and ethical implications of consuming crime as entertainment, demonstrating awareness of power, inequality, and social norms.

Outline Syllabus

This module offers a critical and engaging exploration of the relationship between crime, deviance, and popular culture, examining how crime is represented, consumed, and made meaningful through entertainment. As the module develops, students explore how stories about crime produce, circulate, and contest knowledge about criminality, victims, offenders, and the criminal justice system. Particular attention is paid to the ways fictional and non-fictional narratives shape public understanding of “real-world” crime, highlighting entertainment as both a site of dominant discourse reproduction and a space for critique, resistance, and alternative storytelling. Students are encouraged to question whose voices are amplified in crime narratives and whose experiences are marginalised or silenced. The module is structured to introduce students to key theoretical perspectives on representation, deviance, and power. Each theme is anchored by a central cultural text—such as a film, television series, podcast, musical work, or literary text—which provides a shared point of reference for analysis and discussion. Indicative themes may include the role of empathy in fictional(ised) stories and their capacity for promotion social change; the representation of the criminal justice system in television drama; music cultures, moral panics, and racialised criminalisation; rural and urban imaginaries in popular crime dramas; the representation of trauma and victimhood in young adult literature; the ethics and politics of crime tourism; fan cultures and the commodification of criminality; and the cultural dynamics of producing and consuming true crime podcasts.

Assessment Proportions

Students complete a creative, non-academic media assessment accompanied by a critical reflection, allowing them to demonstrate theoretical understanding, applied analysis, and effective communication.

Formative assessment is embedded through workshop discussions, peer feedback, proposal development, and opportunities for tutor feedback, enabling students to reflect on progress and build confidence ahead of submission.

• 100% creative project and reflective analysis, ~2300 words total

CRIM4006: A Brief History of Crime and Criminology

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Understand the evolution of punishment practices and policies, from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the present. Students will be taken through case studies outlining the evolution of punishment in Britian from brutal, public spectacle to practices based on proportionality and fairness. The evolution of punishment in Britain will take the Bloody Code as a starting point, whereby penalty was harsh and disproportionate. Students will then explore why and how such brutality was transformed in terms of practice and policy.
• Students will be given the opportunity to see how the brutal practices confined to Britain were transferred to Britain’s colonies, such as Australia, India, and Jamaica. This will enable students to understand Britain’s influence on punishment traditions across the colonised world.
• By the end of the module, students will understand the ways practices of punishment were defined and deployed, historically, in Britian and beyond. The module provides the foundational understanding for later modules’ focus upon punishment.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Trace key developments in social responses to crime, from the 19th century to present.
• Identify key thinkers who have contributed to the criminological scholarship on these developments.
• Have an appreciation of the social and political context within which different practices and policies on punishment were/are justified.
• Demonstrate academic skills in relation to understanding punishment as a social construct and a problem rather than a social fact.

Outline Syllabus

The module will introduce students to a history of crime and responses to crime from past to present. Students will be introduced to a core cross-section of punishment practices from the Bloody Code onwards. Examples like the witch trials, Lancaster’s history of slavery, and the city’s Castle prison give students a key contextual (and locally relevant) starting point for introducing students to the history of crime, punishment, and policy in Britain, before focusing in more depth on developments from the 19th Century onwards for the rest of the module.

The aim is for students to understand that criminological practices are not fixed. Instead, they shift and change across time, and they differ across geographies. This will enable students to take understanding crime, its punishment and the policy in which they are embedded to be social constructs, rather than social facts.

Students will be introduced to key thinkers and the scholarship that contributes to criminological perspectives on the evolution of punishment criminal justice policy. They are taken through these lineages to demonstrate the conflicts and contradictions that inform criminological policy and practice.

The module will also encourage confidence in students, so that they can approach their assessments and application of ideas critically. Students are shown the importance of using examples/case studies, like centring Lancaster, in contextualising how the ideas they encounter in their learning are understood.

Assessment Proportions

The learning, teaching and assessment strategy is designed to comprise co-learning between lecturer and students. While lectures and workshops are the primary format for delivering information certain strategies are taken to help students structure their thinking, developing from the mass of materials usually involved in each module to more focused understanding. We connect themes from week to week, demonstrating how each week’s topic links to the previous weeks’, and what this means for the overall module.

CRIM5001: Criminological Thought

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas 
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module aims to introduce students to scholarship in criminological theory and the sociology of deviance from the nineteenth century to the present. A unifying theme is the relationship between the problem of social order and strategies of social control as this has been conceived since the late nineteenth century. The social and political context from which the various theories emerged will be addressed, as well as their place within the intellectual development of criminology.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Understand the ways in which crime and control are constructed and contested concepts.
2. Critically evaluate criminological theories and perspectives.
3. Understand the uses of theory in contributing to the explanation of criminal behaviour and its definition.
4. Have an appreciation of the social and political context within which theories emerged.
5. Critically apply abstract (often historic) theoretical knowledge to real life scenarios.

Outline Syllabus

The module aims to introduce the main theoretical approaches in criminology, from its origins to the present day. The module introduces and examines the main types of theory that have explained crime, criminality, law-abiding, and normal behaviours. It takes a critical social scientific approach that sees crime as a social problem rather than a social fact. In looking at how theory explains crime and criminal behaviours overtime students will be encouraged to question why law breaking or law-abiding behaviours occur. In tracing the wide variety of perspectives explaining crime students will observe that what is understood as either law-breaking or law-abiding changes. Students are, thereby, given insight into the understanding that crime and criminality are constructed according to dominant narratives about what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. This reinforces the need for students to use context specific case studies, looking at both the historical time and the geographic place, to understand what has and can be considered normal or abnormal behaviour.

Assessment Proportions

The learning, teaching and assessment strategy is designed to comprise co-learning between lecturer and students. Lectures and workshops are the primary format for delivering information, connecting themes from week to week, demonstrating how each week’s topic links to the previous weeks’, and what this means for the overall module.

Students will be availed a shared document, using the Forum Function in Moodle, where the entire class are invited to join in discussion. There will be a section for Frequently Asked Questions, where questions will form the basis for workshop discussions and beyond.

CRIM5002: Measuring Crime

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module aims to provide students with a critical understanding of how crime is measured, the strength and limitations of key crime data sources, and the significance of these data in shaping public perception, policy and criminal justice responses. By exploring and comparing sources such as the Crime Survey for England and Wales, police recorded crime, court statistics and other sources, the module will encourage students to engage with issue of data reliability, validity, and their interpretation.

The other core aim of the module is to develop students’ quantitative literacy and practical skills in data analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Through hands-on computer labs using Excel and SPSS, students will gain experience in handling real-world datasets, including those used in criminological research. These activities are designed to build confidence in working with data, encourage analytical thinking and promoting independent inquiry.

In addition to subject-specific knowledge, the module aims to support the development of a range of transferable skills, such as academic writing, critical evaluation of sources, digital competency, and effective communication and collaborative group work, which are all essential for both academic development and employment.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to

1. Identify and critically discusses key quantitative data sources in criminology, including official statistics and survey-based data, and explain their respective methods of collection.
2. Critically assess issues of data quality—such as reliability, validity, and bias—and their implications for interpreting crime trends and informing criminal justice policy.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of core sampling techniques, including the principles and limitations of sampling methods in criminological research.
4. Analyse and interpret crime data using appropriate statistical software and communicate findings clearly and accurately in written and visual formats.
5. Compare and contrast crime data across time periods and sources, recognising methodological differences in sampling design and data collection.
6. Develop evidence-based recommendations for crime control and criminal justice practice.

Outline Syllabus

This module introduces students to the core concepts, methods, and challenges involved in measuring crime using quantitative data. Students begin by exploring why and how we measure crime, questioning assumptions about the objectivity of data, and considering the broader social and institutional factors that shape crime statistics.

The module introduces the principal data sources used in criminology. These include police-recorded crime, the Crime Survey for England and Wales, and self-report studies, alongside knowledge of methodological design. This enables students to evaluate key differences in how data is generated, interpreted and used in different context.

Alongside conceptual understanding, students take part in hands-on computer lab and learn to use Excel and SPSS, where they develop the skills to analyse, visualise and interpret real-world crime-related data.

Throughout the module, students are encouraged to reflect on their development in areas such as critical thinking, digital literacy, data interpretation, and evidence-based reasoning. These are core competencies valuable in a wide range of career pathways.

Assessment Proportions

The module adopts a combination of lectures and computer lab sessions to enable conceptual learning and skill development. Quantitative data and statistical reasoning can be challenging for criminology students. Hence, the teaching and assessment method is carefully designed to support student learning through hands-on, inclusive and confidence building approach.

Weekly lectures introduce students to key quantitative data sources in crime and criminal justice context and critically examines their strengths and limitations. Lectures are designed to contextualise crime data within broader criminological and methodological issues.

Weekly hands-on note-guided computer-based lab sessions provide students with opportunities to engage directly with crime data and to learn to use statistical software incrementally. Students will be provided with detailed and guided lab notes to acquire data analysis skills at their own pace, regardless of prior experience with statistics. These labs are structure on building students’ ability in data handling, analysis, visualisation and interpretation.

The assessment is designed to reflect the applied nature of the module and support progressive learning. The 5-weekly practical worksheets encourage students to attend and learn weekly lab content so that they are able to build skills incrementally. The final assessment of a coursework is a research-informed report using real crime data to develop evidence-based recommendations for crime control.

CRIM5003: Understanding Criminological Fieldwork

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

Research provides an important means of producing knowledge and evidence within Criminology, and in the planning and evaluation of policies and provisions operating within the criminal justice system (CJS). CRIM5003 develops students’ understanding of criminological research and focuses on real-world research in the ‘field’, as well as providing a space for them to refine their practical research skills.

The module initially addresses the theoretical foundations of how knowledge and evidence is understood and produced, and how this underpins the methodological approaches adopted by researchers. We will then explore a range of research methods commonly used in Criminological research, including quantitative questionnaires, evaluation and randomized control trials (RCTs), qualitative interviews, ethnography, and new innovative creative methods and participatory action research.

The module will enable students to engage more critically with the methodological debates within the field of Criminology, as well as develop their own practical research skills.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical foundations - paradigms that underpin quantitative and qualitative approaches to research
2. Critically evaluate the methodological design of criminological research
3. Critically evaluate the range of methods used in criminological research
4. Critically assess the quality of data, in terms of the reliability and validity
5. Demonstrate understanding of the practical application of research methods, through the planning, and implementation of methods.

Outline Syllabus

The module will begin by exploring the philosophical framework that underpins research in Criminology, and the Social Sciences more generally. This is what we refer to as the research paradigm and this governs the approach we take to research. We compare the properties of quantitative and qualitative research in terms of the different paradigms, approaches and methods.

For the remaining weeks we focus on different research methods that are commonly used in Criminology, as well as some are more innovative and less ‘traditional’ methods. We begin with an introduction to quantitative research methods and the social survey, criminological evaluation and randomised control trials, before moving on to more qualitative methods such as interviews, ethnography, creative methods and participatory action research.

We then turn our attention to what happens next - how we begin to analyse the masses of data collected and make sense of the findings.

Finally, we turn our attention to the role of research ethics. This is a theme that is weaved throughout the module but will be brought to the forefront in a standalone topic.

Assessment Proportions

This module will be delivered through a series of lectures where students will be introduced to the major themes and concepts, as well as relevant examples of criminological research.

The lectures will be supported with weekly workshops (starting in the second week) which will link directly to the previous lecture. In the workshops, students will have the opportunity to reflect critically on the lecture content, as well as use this learning to plan, design and conduct their own research using the different methods discussed.

The assessment will follow on directly from this where they can use this learning and new knowledge to plan their own research project.

CRIM5011: Youth Justice

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module aims to critically explore how society responds to children in conflict with the law over time and place, with a focus on processes of criminalisation, victimisation and discrimination. The prevalence and nature of the youth crime ‘problem’ has been a persistent concern for society and is regularly subject to media and political debate. The module will examine trends in youth justice policy as well as the range of possible responses to youth offending. In particular, there will be a focus on the tension between conceptualising individuals as 'children in trouble' or 'children in need', and an exploration of how this shapes youth justice policy and practice.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an ability to engage critically with the politics and practice of youth justice.
2. Critically evaluate a wide range of research sources on the treatment of children in conflict with the law.
3. Communicate effectively in relation to contemporary developments in the treatment of children in trouble, and the possible alternatives.
4. Demonstrate an ability to understand intersectional injustice and the value of diverse perspectives.

Outline Syllabus

An indicative list of topics that may be covered are outlined below. The early lectures on the module aim to provide vital context and set the scene for the more topic-based sessions that follow. There will be an exploration of competing perceptions of children and childhood, as well as the often blurred boundaries between those labelled as ‘offenders’ and ‘victims’. Subsequent sessions will consider a recent history of youth justice, followed by the current policy climate. The possibilities and challenges of a truly ‘child-first’ approach will be explored, before we examine conceptual insights from theorising on resilience and desistance.

The historical discussion will enable signposting of Lancaster’s own history and significant impact on the development of juvenile justice thinking in the 1970s and the 1980s. This is in keeping with our wider programme aims of highlighting the historic legacy of criminology at Lancaster in addition to recent innovations.

Having set the scene in relation to perceptions, history, policy and key concepts, we will explore a number of pressing contemporary concerns that may include the neglected needs of girls in a system dominated by, and designed for, boys. In line with decolonial concerns, issues of ongoing stigmatisation, marginalisation and discrimination are a key feature of this module and there is a particular focus on ‘disproportionality’ – such as the over-representation of certain children in youth justice and in custody. Sessions, therefore, may include the stubborn over-representation of children in care (and ongoing efforts to address this) to explore, in addition to the racialisation and adultification of certain children from non-white backgrounds, young people who may be far less likely to have their behaviour met with a ‘child-first’ response.

Finally, sessions on topics such as restorative justice and child victimisation will bring us back full circle to consider ‘alternative’ approaches and ongoing injustices in our systems of welfare and punishment.

Assessment Proportions

The module will be delivered through lectures and smaller-group workshops across the semester. There will also be a whole-group documentary workshop to help illuminate some of the themes explored.

For the assessment, students will undertake a 2 hour written exam. Feedback opportunities are available throughout the module, including through weekly workshops, in response to set workshop tasks, and in response to assessment plans.

In line with the overall programme aims, this module provides students with a distinct multidisciplinary perspective. It further seeks to develop knowledge and critical understanding of social structures and practices that influence societal responses to youth justice. Moreover, it aims to support students from a wide range of social and educational backgrounds to reflect on their own personal development whilst communicating criminological insights effectively.

CRIM5012: Organised Crime

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of what constitutes serious and organised crime, examining its definition, scope, organisation and significance as a major global challenge. The module examines various forms of serious and organised crime from traditional, mafia-type organisations to emergent transnational networks, and the wider social, institutional and economic factors that shape their organisation. The module further aims to examine serious and organised crime at local, national, and transnational levels, considering its interaction with state institutions, legitimate economies and global inequalities.

The module also aims to develop students’ abilities to critically engage with criminological theories and empirical findings, apply them to case studies, and evaluate criminal justice responses to serious and organised crime relevant to level 5 study. Through engagement with research, case studies, and debates, the module will strengthen students’ ability in critical thinking, interpreting evidence, academic writing, independent research, and communications. This will help students’ progression toward final year study in the programme.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the concept and theories of serious and organised crime and explain its historical roots and contemporary developments in local, national, and transnational contexts.
2. Compare traditional and contemporary serious and organised crimes using national and global examples to illustrate similarities and differences in their organisation.
3. Analyse the dynamics of serious and organised crime using various analytical perspectives (e.g., social network analysis) to understand the pattern of organisation and criminal opportunity.
4. Evaluate regulatory and enforcement responses for combatting serious and organised crime.

Outline Syllabus

This module will guide students through the subject of serious and organised crime, from foundational conceptual frameworks to specific case studies and advanced analytical techniques. Students are first introduced to various conceptualisations and models of serious and organised crime, and longstanding debates about what constitutes ‘organised’ crime. Students will also learn about methodological issues in researching organised crime, such as the challenges of investigating hidden criminal enterprises.

Students will also have the change to examine traditional organised crime groups focusing on infamous examples, that may include such examples as the Mafia and the Yakuza, including how they emerged and evolve over time. Comparisons will be drawn to organised crime in the UK to understand the universal and local features of organised criminality. Transnational illicit markets, such as those in drug and human trafficking, will also be investigated.

The module also focuses on emerging and evolving forms of serious and organised crime that may include hacker groups and online fraud networks, and money laundering, highlighting the intersection of organised crime with legitimate economies.

Attention will also be paid to responses to serious and organised crime. Students will study the regulatory and control frameworks, in addition to law enforcement structure and challenges in the modern era.

Assessment Proportions

The module is delivered through a combination of weekly lectures and workshops, centring around the research-informed and hands-on teaching approach. Lectures are used to introduce core ideas, theoretical frameworks, and empirical findings about organised crime. They are designed to be interactive and engaging, incorporating real-world case studies and latest research findings. Workshops complement lectures by providing a space for discussion, critical analysis and application of those concepts and theories learned during the lecture. Students will analyse case studies, debate key issues, and work in teams for some exercises. This will enhance students’ critical thinking, research, communication, and teamwork skills, in addition to ability to formulate arguments. Independent learning is also crucial for students to do readings each week.

Assessments are structured to align closely with the MLOs and support the development of both subject- and programme-specific knowledge and transferable skills. The assessment is aligned to the MLOs so that students can demonstrate the depth and breadth of their knowledge and ability.

CRIM5013: Cybercrime and Cybercriminality

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module aims to develop students’ understanding of cybercrime and cybersecurity and introduce key contemporary issues. The significant technological developments of the last few decades in communication and computing brought with them great benefits, but also the potential of misuse for criminal and harmful purposes. As offences taking place in cyberspace are increasingly important features of the 21st century world and societies, the module will introduce key types of cybercrime, methods by which they are carried out, and potential motivations of offenders and other threat actors. The module will also explore different ways societies and policy-makers are seeking to respond to cybercrime, and key technical and societal considerations of cybersecurity.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Identify and evaluate different types of cybercrime, relevant concepts and tools of computing and network technologies, and key issues of domestic and international cybersecurity.
2. Gather and critically analyse evidence relevant to topics in cybercrime and cybersecurity from a range of sources
3. Critically reflect on the role of computing and network technologies, global connectivity and social media in both cybercrime and ‘traditional’ crime.
4. Describe and critically assess the relationship between crime, deviance, computing and network technologies and their users, and cybersecurity within various historical, cultural, and global contexts.
5. Critically analyse policing, legal, corporate, electronic, social and other responses to cybercrime and cybercriminality, and to identify their main strengths and weaknesses.

Outline Syllabus

The module will discuss key concepts, debates and examples from the field of cybercrime and cybersecurity, as well as methods used to commit, and to defend against cyber offences.

The module contextualises cybercrime within the significant technological developments of the last few decades (such as the internet, advancements in computing technologies, and the proliferation of smart devices), and how these continue to shape the world and life, including work, learning, business, communication, entertainment, healthcare, socialisation and research.

The module will investigate how the embeddedness of these technologies and devices into everyday life brings not only positive effects, but also opportunities for malicious activity leading to great harm to people, businesses and states.

This module will explore the ways digitalisation, global interconnectivity, the reliance on smart-devices and recent developments in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are transforming crime and criminality, as well as potential impact of emerging and future technologies.

The module will also critically engage with the relationship between technological developments, crime opportunities, methods of prevention, and the relevant social and political context in which these phenomena are situated, raising questions around civil liberties, legitimacy and accountability.

Topics to explore may include online fraud, sexual exploitation, cyberwarfare, cryptomarkets and cryptocurrencies, hacktivism, (end-to-end) encryption, hacking, malware and phishing.

Assessment Proportions

This module will be taught in a lecture and workshop format. Each week will focus on a particular topic related to cybercrime and cybersecurity (these may include such topics as cyberwarfare, online aspects of sex crimes and gender-based abuse and the Darkweb).

The lectures will provide an outline of key historical, sociopolitical and technical aspects of the week’s topic, the impact of new and emerging technological developments on everyday cybersecurity, and on other aspects of life (such as social interactions, financial transactions, and privacy), as well as theoretical considerations where appropriate.

Each workshop will require preparation from the students by engaging with the readings and the topic (ahead of the workshops the students will be provided with 2-3 questions or similar exercise to encourage then to think about the readings), as well as by completing a short task (e.g. finding a recent example of a particular cyber offence). Workshops will focus on discussing key practical issues of cybercrime, applying the readings to real-life problems, as well as a basic introduction to certain practical skills tailored to the students’ level of study (Term 3 of Undergraduate Studies for most students).

The learning outcomes of the module will be assessed based on coursework.

CRIM5014: Contemporary Issues in Policing

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module introduces students to a range of topics and perspectives related to Contemporary Issues in Policing. The module will cover three key core areas, a) The role of the police in a contemporary and historical context, b) key policing concepts and c) contemporary issues related to policing in the UK. The module will help students to develop:

• An understanding of contemporary issues in policing in the UK.
• The ability to critically consider the role of police officers within the criminal justice system.
• A critical understanding of key policing concepts such as police power, accountability and ‘cop culture’.
• An understanding and interpretation of theories and concepts in the context of policing.
• General skills in: critical thinking, clear expression of ideas, constructive engagement with others’ views, group discussion, and the valuation of research and synthesis of information.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary issues in policing in the UK.
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the impact that concepts such as accountability and discretion have on the role of police officers.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of police officers within the wider criminal justice system.

Outline Syllabus

This module critically examines the evolving landscape of policing in contemporary society, focusing on the challenges, debates, and reforms shaping law enforcement in the 21st century. It explores how policing has responded to political, social, and technological change, encouraging students to analyse key developments through a critical and evidence-based lens.

Students will engage with questions such as: How is legitimacy and public trust in the police constructed and maintained? What are the impacts of race, class, and gender in policing practices? What role do accountability, oversight, and use of force play in shaping public perceptions of the police?

The module addresses a range of core themes and current debates surrounding institutional racism, stop and search practices, the policing of vulnerable populations, and the mental health implications of police encounters. Comparative international perspectives are incorporated to highlight different models of policing and reform efforts across countries.

Students will be encouraged to consider the complex balance between crime control and civil liberties, and to critically evaluate the effectiveness of current policing practices in achieving justice, equity, and public safety. Through case studies, academic literature, media analysis, and guest speakers where available, the module fosters informed, critical thinking and prepares students to engage with policy and practice issues central to contemporary policing.

By the end of the module, students will have developed a nuanced understanding of the dilemmas and opportunities facing modern police forces and be equipped to contribute thoughtfully to debates on police reform and future directions.

Assessment Proportions

The teaching approach for this module is grounded in critical engagement, active learning, and real-world application. It combines lectures, workshops, and case-based discussions to create a dynamic learning environment that encourages analytical thinking and collaborative debate. Lectures will provide a structured overview of key themes and theories, while workshops will offer students the opportunity to explore specific issues in depth, drawing on contemporary case studies, media analysis, and academic research.

A key feature of the module is its emphasis on experiential and reflective learning. Students will be encouraged to critically analyse current events, policy developments, and policing practices, fostering connections between theoretical frameworks and practical realities. The use of guest speakers (e.g., police practitioners) and digital resources will further enhance engagement and contextual understanding.

Assessment is designed to reflect the module’s critical and applied focus. Written coursework (an analytical essay) will allow students to demonstrate both academic rigour and the ability to engage with contemporary debates. This assessment is aligned to programme-level aims by promoting research skills, critical thinking, and effective communication.

The module aligns with the wider programme learning, teaching, and assessment strategies by fostering inclusive and student-centred pedagogy. It encourages engagement with diverse perspectives, supports the development of independent learning skills, and incorporates formative feedback opportunities. Assessment criteria are transparent and linked clearly to learning outcomes, ensuring students understand expectations and can track their progress.

Overall, the module supports the programme’s goal of developing informed, critical, and reflective graduates who are well-prepared to engage with the complex realities of policing and criminal justice in contemporary society.

CRIM6002: Prisons, Punishment and Society

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module aims to introduce students to the philosophical debates on punishment and to examine explanations about the historical development of punishment. Students will become familiar with the key concepts of punishment and begin to recognize that theories of punishment can only be understood with reference to their wider social and cultural contexts.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Evaluate some of the major debates within the historical and philosophical consideration of prisons and punishment.
2. Critically analyze the importance of the wider social and cultural contexts in the development of punishment.
3. Apply the confidence to evaluate some of the competing claims within the area of criminal justice and penology.

Outline Syllabus

Overview

What does 'punishment' mean to you? Has there ever been a time you think you or someone else has been unjustly punished? Thinking about infotainment and crime dramas, do aspects of punishment or prisons seem to be glamorised in the media? Do you think these are reflective of reality? This module explores what makes a ‘prison’, and investigate who is likely to be imprisoned, and why. It considers the shift from punishment to the body, to punishment of the mind and society and evaluates the ethics of retribution, and the limits of ‘just deserts’.

This module draws from historical, administrative and critical criminological concepts around punishment, prisons and the politics of confinement. Focussing on the development of carceral expansionism in the UK and internationally, it evaluates the strengths as well as potential harms of prison in an era of a prison industrial complex and state-corporate control. In doing so, it also looks beyond normative understandings of the ‘prison’ to interrogate offshore sites and immigration detention.

Overall, this module asks, can prisons be reformed to humanely address societal deviance, or are they sites of pain that hold no place in contemporary society?

Subjects covered may include:

Understanding Prisons; The Politics of Punishment; Just Deserts; Intersectional Inequalities in Penality and Punishment; the Prison Industrial Complex; Offshore and Hidden Forms of Detention; Polycrises in Prisons; Media Representations of Imprisonment; Indefinite and Solitary Confinement; Deaths in Custody; Reform and Abolitionism; The Politics of the Death Penalty.

Assessment Proportions

The module will be delivered through lectures and smaller-group workshops across the semester. There will also be a whole-group documentary lecture to help illuminate some of the themes explored in the former part of the module. Where appropriate, colleagues who have experience of prison or prison research will be invited to give guest lectures, as previous experience suggests students respond well to field-based knowledge on this complex topic. For the assessment, students will produce a desk-based research informed essay (max word limit = 3,000 words).

Weekly readings and one weekly activity will be developed that students will be expected to complete prior to each workshop to ensure effective reflexive learning and collaborative discussion. These will include multi-media such as documentaries, podcasts and news articles that are related to the weekly topic and overall module themes of Prisons and Punishment. This aims to inform and spark debate in ways that are responsive to multifarious forms of learning and engagement.

The learning, teaching and assessment strategy aims to support students to become independent, critical and ethical thinkers who are confident in sitting with the complexity associated with both research evidence and as well as policy and practice dilemmas. Feedback opportunities are available throughout the module, including through weekly workshops, in response to set workshop tasks, and in response to assessment plans.

CRIM6011: Green Criminology

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module aims to provide a critical understanding of anthropocentric environmental harm from a criminological perspective, and to provoke critical reflection on the interplay between existing structures and agency on the continuance of processes, and the perpetration of individual acts, with a harmful impact on the natural environment and nonhuman animals.

The module content will achieve this by exploring a range of environmental and green-related harms, how such harms may be defined as or otherwise related to 'crime', and ways in which society attempts to deal with such harms – whether through criminalisation or otherwise.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of anthropogenic environmental harms and the impact these have on human and non-human victims from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
2. Demonstrate an appreciation of the staggering multiplicity of ‘green harms’ and state, government, corporate and individual complicity in their perpetration.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the range of legal regulation, political and other societal responses to environmental harm and understanding of the limitations of and barriers to such responses.
4. Demonstrate a critical understanding of how green issues can be seen as within the remit of criminology – and how (green) criminology can and should draw on multidisciplinary perspectives, sources and methodologies.
5. Critically evaluate competing explanations for the causes of environmental harm and the role of economic and political structures, and individual agency, in these.

Outline Syllabus

Green Criminology is the application of criminological thought (concepts, methods, theories etc.) to anthropogenic environmental harm and harms to non-human animals. It is a relatively recent addition to criminology, reflecting increasing awareness of the damage contemporary industrial society inflicts on the natural world - and the increasingly urgent need for effective responses and solutions to environmental problems. Drawing on established traditions of examining ‘crimes of the powerful’ and of focusing on a zemiological (harm-centred) perspective as well as legalistic definitions of crime, Green Criminology focuses on environmental harms whether or not they are criminalised. With theoretical roots based in Ulrich Beck’s ‘Risk Society’, 'ecological Marxism', and theories of criminalisation, victimisation, and crime control, Green Criminology focuses on a range of environmental and animal harms, and society’s attempts to control them.

Topics covered may include:

• Green Criminology: Roots and rationale
• The Nature of Harm: Towards an environmental victimology
• The Extent of Harm: The social distribution of environmental risk
• Nonhuman Animals as Victims and the Animal Rights Debate
• Regulating Environmental Harms: Legislating to protect people, animals and the environment
• Preventing Environmental Harms: What can we learn from criminological theory?
• Green Movements and Environmental Activism
• Explaining Environmental Harm
• Constructing Green Crime: The role of the media
• Beyond Primary Green Crimes: Environmental harm as a cause of crime
• Methodological approaches in Green Criminology: drawing on the social and natural sciences to understand anthropocentric environmental harm.

Assessment Proportions

This module takes a problem-focused approach to teaching, learning and assessment. Even by the interdisciplinary norms of criminology, this module takes a multi and inter-disciplinary approach to understanding the causes of, impacts of, and responses to anthropocentric environmental harm. It draws on research, readings and other learning materials from fields as diverse animal behaviourism, conservation studies, economics, evolutionary biology, legal studies, media and cultural studies, philosophy, politics, psychology, sociology and social policy, zemiology and zoology – whatever disciplines and ways of thinking are useful and relevant to understanding and solving the problems of anthropocentric environmental harm and harm to non-human animals. In a similar vein, the module engages with a range of sources, expertise and evidence from across and beyond academia, including governmental, NGO and media sources. While historic examples are covered in some depth, the module delivery strategy thrives on contemporary and emerging examples of environmental problems and political, legal and other social responses to these. Hence, news, entertainment and social media sources are key components of both knowledge and understanding of environmental issues. With environmental challenges being global in nature, but disproportionately impacting on the global south, decolonisation approaches and local and indigenous knowledge sources will be key components of the learning materials.

The assessment requires students to pick a case-study or specific example of environmental harm or a response to environmental harm and analyse this from a green criminological perspective – encouraging students to draw on a range of academic and non-academic sources for the factual/knowledge component of the case-study and to appropriately select and apply theories, concepts and readings from the course to their chosen example.

CRIM6012: Gendered Harm and Justice

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

This module aims to introduce students to a range of topics and perspectives related to Gendered Harm & Justice, with a focus on those whose needs have been neglected, marginalised and overlooked within the fields of Criminology & Criminal Justice. The module explores how harm and injustice may occur in various ways, and at various intersections. Topics covered may include issues such as: women, crime and poverty in an age of austerity; injustice & dual-system contact for care-experienced women; the experiences of Black and minoritized women in the criminal justice system. Generic transferable skills to be promoted on this module include academic writing, critical thinking, verbal communication, and an ability to understand how to apply research literature to contemporary policy and practice concerns.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the importance of focusing on gendered harm.
2. Demonstrate a knowledge and appreciation of the (in)justice faced by women in conflict with the law.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the social processes associated with marginalisation and their impact on criminal justice.
4. Demonstrate a critical understanding of contemporary criminal justice policy and practice concerns.
5. Demonstrate independent thinking and the ability to draw out the wider implications of research on gendered harm and justice.

Outline Syllabus

With a particular focus on the neglected experiences of women and girls, this module explores how harm and injustice may occur in various ways, and at various intersections, as well as the often-blurred boundaries between victimisation and criminalisation. It also considers issues of power, protest and resistance and how this might play out in different contexts. Some of these themes are considered through the lens of racialisation and disabling and criminalising systems.

The decolonisation agenda runs through this module in various ways. For example, it is directly picked up on in relation to module content and the keys themes of power, inequality, stigma, marginalisation and intersectionality which run through the module. Meanwhile, in relation to set weekly readings, there is a commitment to ensuring a diverse set of authors are represented, with a move away from reading lists dominated by white, middle class, male perspectives from the global north. Key readings will incorporate lived experience perspectives, literature focused on minoritised views, in addition to insights/ writers from the Global south.

Students will be encouraged to reflect on their development in relation to graduate attributes of academic and professional excellence, with a particular focus on applying research literature to contemporary ‘real-world’ dilemmas that they may encounter in graduate life. There will be a focus on engaging with the ‘so what?’ question across the module through weekly set readings and tasks.

Assessment Proportions

The module will be delivered through lectures and smaller-group workshops across the term. There will also be a whole-group documentary workshop to help illuminate some of the themes explored. For the assessment, students will produce a piece of coursework that is a response to a policy scenario (as opposed to a standard essay question) with the aim of encouraging ‘authentic’ assessment and the development of employability skills, which is in line with the overall programme aims. In the assessment students take on the role of expert adviser in writing up to 2,500 words for a critical review of the evidence base, and up to 1,000 words for a set of recommendations that draw out various policy, practice and/or research implications to chart a way forward (max word limit = 3,500 words).

The learning, teaching and assessment strategy aims to support students to become independent, critical and ethical thinkers who are confident in sitting with the complexity associated with both research evidence and research certainties and uncertainties, as well as policy and practice dilemmas. Feedback opportunities are available throughout the module, including through weekly workshops, in response to set workshop tasks, and in response to assessment plans.

In line with the overall programme aims, this module provides students with a distinct multidisciplinary perspective. It further seeks to develop knowledge and understanding of social structures and practices that influence societal responses to gendered harm. Moreover, it aims to support students from a wide range of social and educational backgrounds to develop their critical thinking skills and communicate criminological insights effectively.

CRIM6013: Drugs, Crime and Society

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

The module introduces students to current academic debates, paradigms and perspectives within the field of drug and alcohol studies. We enable students to develop a critical understanding of the main criminological and sociological perspectives on drugs and to locate these within a multi-disciplinary framework. In addition, students will explore academic, policy and popular representations of drugs within their historical, socio-economic and cultural context. Students will develop research, discussion, organisational and writing skills through participating in workshop discussions, as well as the successful completion of the final examination.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary debates about drugs, processes of criminalisation and policy development.
2. Critically evaluate a range of theoretical and empirical research studies of legal and illegal drugs, in various social, historical and cultural settings.
3. Critically discuss key concepts and perspectives employed in debates about drug use, supply, trafficking and manufacture, from criminological and multi-disciplinary perspectives within the field of drugs.
4. Apply skills in research, writing, using ICT and critical reading.

Outline Syllabus

In this module we will start from the notion that the meanings of drugs are socially constructed by a range of social actors, such as drugs users, drug producers, health care institutions, police officers, politicians and the media. In an interactive process, they define the social, political, moral and legal meaning(s) of drugs, and understand the importance of different methodological approaches in understanding and framing the drug ‘problem’. We will explore this process by embracing a global perspective, comparing different countries involved in criminalisation, normalisation and legalisation. We will take a closer look at the roles of different social actors involved in the social world of drugs. After a general introduction and a discussion on how to measure drugs uses, we will focus on policy making, drugs use and crime and drugs.

A significant part of this module is shaped by decolonisation as it focuses on controlling, othering and stigmatising practises targeting marginalised minorities by the criminal justice system, the media and the public. One example is ‘stop and search’ targeting racialised persons, another is the international ‘war on drugs’. The module also focuses on normalisation and legalisation of drugs and its impact on society and especially marginalised minorities.

The module embraces an international perspective and includes publications and data related to a wide range of countries such as The Netherlands, the UK and the USA. During this module we will also discuss and analyse examples of drugs culture and drugs use, such as so-called party drugs (related to the nighttime economy and festivals), the opioid crises (predominantly in the United States) and marginalised ‘problematic’ users of drugs.

Assessment Proportions

The module consists of lectures and workshops. Both have an interactional and dynamic character which creates space for students to participate. The aims and learning outcomes shape the teaching, learning and assessment strategy.

Per lecture there is a focus on one relevant angle/perspective in the field of drugs, crime and society. The lectures cover the main literature. In addition, everyday examples available in the media are used to explain and explore the discussed literature. In the lectures we are using questions directed at the students that relate to examples related to the module and which are supported by visualisations (video, photography, etc.) These cases stimulate the students to reflect on the theme/references, and they are invited to share their observations and ideas.

The workshops have a more activating focus. The students prepare for them by reading and analysing relevant literature. While preparing for the workshops students are guided by 3 to 4 questions that are available on the relevant Moodle page and are indicated and discussed in the lectures. Most of the literature that is discussed in the workshops is also deliberated on in the lecture. The aim is to make the students enthusiastic about reading the discussed literature. In fact, by introducing the references in the lecture, students have a head start in gaining an in-depth knowledge. Most workshops also include visualisations which they can analysed by using the relevant literature and the discussion in the lecture.

In line with the University’s commitment to decolonisation, this module draws on a wide range of diverse voices to explore the lasting impact of racism and others forms of exclusion, marginalisation and exploitation shaped by drug policies criminalising and stigmatising drugs use and drug users.

Assessment is a three-hour exam.

CRIM6014: Hate Crime

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

The central aim of the module is to promote knowledge and understanding of the social construction of hate violence as a global phenomenon. In addition, the module intends to stimulate student to explore the impacts of hate violence on individuals, communities, and on intergroup relations. Another aim of the module is that it seeks student to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural foundations of hate violence viewed from a global perspective. The module also wants to inspire students to focus on gaining insight in the motivations for acts of hate crime and hate violence and the possible interventions to manage and prevent hate violence.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the manifestations and causes of violence on the basis of social identity.
2. Critically discuss the individual, collective and intergroup harms caused by expressions of prejudice, bigotry and hatred.
3. Critically evaluate interventions against violence on the basis of social identity.
4. Apply skills in research, using search engines and critical reading and writing.

Outline Syllabus

In this module we will start from the notion that hate crime is socially constructed by a range of social actors, such as perpetrators, victims, police officers, politicians and the media. In an interactive process, they will define whether an interaction is a hate crime or not. Whether something is a hate crime also depends on the legal and academic definitions of hate crime which we will explore by placing them in an international context.

In this module we will take a closer look at the different social actors involved in hate crime. First, we will focus on perpetrators and try to understand why they commit hate crime by looking at culture, motivations and everyday conflicts. In addition, we will discuss the impact of hate crime on victims and whether hate crimes have more impact compared to non-hate crimes. We will also look at the impact of hate crimes on the larger society.

The topic of hate crime is from its beginning shaped by decolonisation as it focuses on othering and stigmatising practises targeting marginalised minorities resulting in verbal and non-verbal hate crimes.

The module embraces an international perspective and includes publications and data related to a wide range of countries such as France, Lithuania, Kosovo, Germany, the UK and the USA. During this module we will also discuss and analyse examples of hate crime in different countries. For instance, we will focus on cases that shaped hate crime law, such as the Stephen Lawrence murder (which triggered the development of hate crime law in the UK), and the Matthew Shepard/James Byrd murder (which triggered the development of hate crime law in the USA). We will also focus on more recent examples, such as the George Floyd murder and the UK Race Riots in the summer of 2024.

Assessment Proportions

The module consists of lectures and workshops. Both have an interactional and dynamic character which creates space for students to participate. The aims and learning outcomes shape the teaching, learning and assessment strategy.

Per lecture there is a focus on one relevant angle/perspective in the hate crime field. The lectures cover the main literature. In addition, everyday examples available in the media are used to explain and explore the discussed literature. In the lectures questions will be directed at students that relate to well known cases of hate crime and/or show videos of hate crime. These cases will help students to reflect on the theme/references, and they are invited to share their observations and ideas.

The workshops have a more activating focus. The students prepare them in two ways:1) they read and analyse relevant literature. While preparing for the workshops students are guided by 3 to 4 questions that are available on the relevant Moodle page and are indicated and discussed in the lectures. Most of the literature that is discussed in the workshops is also deliberated upon in the lecture. The aim is to make the students enthusiastic about reading the discussed literature. In fact, by introducing the references in the lecture, students have a head start in gaining an in-depth knowledge. Most workshops also include video’s which they can analyse by using the relevant literature and the discussion in the lecture.

In line with the University’s commitment to decolonisation, this module draws on a wide range of diverse voices to explore the lasting impact of racism and others forms of exclusion, marginalisation and exploitation. For instance, we discuss the Stephen Lawrence murder and the UK race riots of summer 2024.

Assessment is a three-hour exam.

CRIM6015: Crimes and Harms of the Powerful

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

The broad aim of the course is to introduce students to some key theoretical debates and empirical material relating to the crimes of the powerful. Students will become familiar with the key concepts in this area of study as well as being able to recognize and evaluate some of the complex moral, policy and legal issues associated with white-collar crime, corporate crime and state crime.

Specifically, the module aims to promote knowledge and understanding of: the importance of human rights and civil liberties in understanding and evaluating state activities; the importance of mechanisms for justice and accountability with respect to corporate and state crime, and; the relevance of status, power and class dynamics in the construction of crime and its prosecution.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Understand the link between power and crime.
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of some theoretical perspectives on the study, analysis and explanation of white-collar crime, corporate crime and state crime.
3. Show a knowledge and appreciation of the relationships between crime, social change and the impact of globalization.
4. Show an understanding of the difficulties and complexities involved in investigating, prosecuting, and policing white-collar, corporate and state crime at both local and transnational levels.

Outline Syllabus

What if you were more likely to be harmed by states and corporations than by terrorists and serial killers? And what if they mostly got away with it?

This module unpacks the harms of powerful social elites, states, and corporations to think beyond a 'crime' lens and instead explore harms which often go under the radar of research or media. It will consider financial harm and white-collar crime, corruption, states of exception, ecocide and state violence. Subjects covered may include torture, Guantanamo and CIA Black Sites, detention, environmental and green crimes and harms, arms trade, and the Panama Papers.

Examples of weekly subjects may include:

• Understanding State, Crime and Power
• Zemiology: Typologies and Dimensions of Harm
• Wealth, Poverty and Financial Crime
• Ecoharms on a Global Sphere
• Conflict, Arms Trade and State Crimes
• Genocide
• Torture and Torturous Violence
• Criminologies of Witchcraft and Social Control
• Slavery – from Past to the Present
• Migration, Mobilities and Harms at the Border
• Module Summary and Assessment Guidance

Assessment Proportions

The module will be delivered through lectures and smaller-group workshops across the semester. There will also be a whole-group documentary lecture to help illuminate some of the themes explored in the former part of the module. Students are also expected to undertake a group walking tour in Lancaster which focuses on witchcraft persecution and slavery abolition and report back with one image of an interesting artefact and a group reflection to embed the value of place-based experience in the subject context.

Weekly readings and one weekly activity will be developed that students will be expected to complete prior to each workshop to ensure effective reflexive learning and collaborative discussion. These will include multi-media such as documentaries, podcasts and news articles that are related to the weekly topic and overall module themes of harms and crimes of the powerful. This aims to inform and spark debate in ways that are responsive to multifarious forms of learning and engagement.

The learning, teaching and assessment strategy aims to support students to become independent, critical and ethical thinkers who are confident in sitting with the complexity associated with both research evidence and as well as policy and practice dilemmas. Feedback opportunities are available throughout the module, including through weekly workshops, in response to set workshop tasks, and in response to assessment plans.

For the assessment, students will produce a desk-based research informed case study (max word limit = 3,000 words). Students are required to select one issue from the module and develop a case study in response. The answer should include a critical overview of the topic’s relationship to crimes and harms of the powerful, examining theoretical understandings of these connections. This should be a specific event, disaster or definable social issue from a case study issue outlined on the module (list to be included on final assessment briefing).

CRIM6016: Crime and Media

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: Some background in Social Sciences

Course Description

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the range of links between crime, ‘deviance’ and the media. This involves encouraging students to unpack the ‘common sense’ view of the world and how the media constructs knowledge and ‘facts’ about criminality, that we may take for granted in our everyday lives. In that sense, this module considers 'the media' as tool of the state that enables certain political messages about certain social groups to be communicated, forming public opinion. It explores how we come to think about particular individuals or groups as deviant and non-deviants and the media’s role in this process. As well as considering representations of crime, this module will also encourage students to think about the use of media in crime and criminal justice contexts.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the relationship between crime, deviance and the media.
2. Demonstrate coherent and detailed knowledge of contemporary criminal justice issues and their cultural and media socialised constructions.
3. Critically examine the various styles of news coverage and use of media discourse and images.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the social processes involved in media representation and development of stereotypes and/ or moral panics.

Outline Syllabus

This module explores the complex and evolving relationship between crime and the media, examining how crime is represented, constructed, and consumed across various media platforms. Students will critically engage with theoretical frameworks and empirical research to understand the role of the media in shaping public perceptions of crime, justice, and deviance.

Key themes include the historical development of crime reporting, the sensationalism of certain crimes, and the media’s influence on moral panics, public fear, and policy-making. The module investigates how different media forms - such as print journalism, television, film, and digital media - depict offenders, victims, and criminal justice institutions. Particular attention is paid to issues of gender, race, and class in media portrayals of crime, allowing students to critically analyse how stereotypes and power dynamics are reproduced or challenged.

Students will also examine contemporary debates surrounding the impact of true crime media, online vigilantism, and the ethical considerations of media coverage in high-profile cases. The module considers the reciprocal relationship between crime and media - how media not only reflects but also shapes criminal behaviour, public discourse, and societal responses to crime.

Indicative questions in which the module is embedded include:

• How do media representations differ from actual crime patterns?
• What role does the media play in constructing moral panics?
• How do race, gender, and class influence media portrayals of crime?
• To what extent does media coverage influence criminal justice policy?

Through a combination of lectures, workshops, and independent research, students will develop critical media literacy and an informed understanding of how crime is framed in the public imagination. The module aims to equip students with analytical tools to question dominant narratives and consider alternative perspectives on crime and justice in the media.

Assessment Proportions

This module adopts a blended and student-centred approach to teaching, combining lectures, workshops, and guided independent study to foster critical engagement with the subject. Lectures provide a foundation in key theories, concepts, and debates, while workshops offer a space for interactive discussion, case study analysis, and collaborative learning. Teaching will draw on diverse media sources - including news reports, documentaries, podcasts, and social media content - to bring contemporary relevance and encourage real-world application of academic theory.

Students will be encouraged to develop critical media literacy and reflective thinking through formative activities such as group presentations and structured debate. These tasks support deeper engagement and help build confidence in articulating complex ideas. The learning environment will be inclusive and participatory, promoting respect for diverse perspectives and experiences, particularly around sensitive topics such as crime, justice, and representation.

Assessment is designed to align with programme-level strategies promoting critical thinking, academic rigour, and employability. The module assessment consists of one summative portfolio with two integrated components:

• A 1,500-word literature review, in which students critically engage with key academic debates relevant to media, crime, and representation. This component develops skills in literature searching, synthesis, and critical evaluation of scholarly sources.
• A 1500-word media analysis, which applies theoretical and empirical insights from the literature review to the critical analysis of a chosen media text or case study (e.g. the representation of a high-profile crime). This component assesses students’ ability to apply theory to real-world media contexts, construct sustained arguments, and demonstrate critical media literacy.

Together, the portfolio supports the development of research skills, argumentation, and academic writing, while allowing flexibility for students to pursue topics aligned with their interests. Formative activities embedded throughout the module provide scaffolded support for both components, including guidance on literature reviewing, analytical frameworks, and academic writing conventions.

Overall, the approach is designed to support students in becoming critically engaged, socially aware graduates equipped to analyse and question dominant narratives within media and criminological contexts.

CRIM7001: Crime and Criminal Justice in the 21st Century

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5 US Credits
• ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: Student must have completed an undergraduate degree in a relevant field.

Course Description

This module aims to develop students' expertise in Criminology and Criminal Justice. The module introduces students to the nature and extent of crime and criminal justice policy and practice in contemporary society. Students gain an overview of selected cutting-edge issues, and are supported to develop a critical understanding of how such issues play out in the current context. The module aims to encourage student to develop skills in verbal communication, independent reading and academic writing. Students gain knowledge and understanding of various tensions and dilemmas currently debated within Criminology, as well as contemporary and likely future challenges for crime and justice policy.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…?

1. Demonstrate an ability to engage?critically and in-depth with the politics and practice of crime and criminal justice.?
2. Critically evaluate?a wide range of?research?sources?on?crime and criminal justice ?
3. Communicate complex research findings effectively in relation to?contemporary developments on crime and criminal justice in the 21st century.?

Outline Syllabus

Crime and criminal justice are evolving rapidly in the face of social, technological, and political change. This optional module explores contemporary challenges such as domestic violence and abuse, drug policy, youth justice, financial crime and the harms of imprisonment. Topics vary each year to reflect emerging issues and staff expertise, ensuring real-world relevance for those pursuing careers in criminal justice, policymaking, advocacy, or research. Students will develop a critical understanding of how crime is measured and represented, how justice policies are shaped, and how social factors such as age, gender, race, and class may intersect with criminal justice processes. Drawing on current research and case studies, this research-led module equips students with the analytical skills needed to navigate, influence, and understand key challenges within complex criminal justice landscapes.?

Assessment Proportions

The module will be assessed by a 4,000-word essay on an aspect of crime and criminal justice in the 21st century. Students will demonstrate independent thought by designing their own coursework question, and must get their question/title approved by the module convenor in advance. There will be some dedicated time for discussing assessment preparation within the workshops, and students will also have the option to discuss the design of a coursework question and assessment preparation with the module convenor and relevant lecturers outside of teaching sessions.