Applied Criminology

Criminology is both a unique and distinctive social science discipline in that it brings together those social science and humanities disciplines with an interest in issues of crime and criminality. Criminology is also an applied social science and as such makes a contribution not only to the development of theoretical explanations but also to the policy and practice of those agencies and organisations in society charged with the management, control and prevention of crime. As such this module will explore and develop an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of Criminology and the relationship between theoretical perspectives and explanations and the substantive issues of crime and criminality. It will also critically examine the unique contribution of a range of academic disciplines in explaining the phenomenon of crime and criminality. The module will also explore the relationship between theoretical explanations of crime and their application in the realm of policy and practice at both a macro and micro level, i.e. at both the societal and community level as well as at the agency and organisational level of those charged with the responsibility to operationalize such policies. The module will conclude by exploring the changing practices of a range of crime related agencies such as the police, prison and probation services, amongst others, in the management, control and prevention of crime and criminality in a constantly and fast changing social, economic and political environment.

The module allows students to critically reflect upon a period of professional experience in a context appropriate to the course (the student’s own employment in an appropriate career as well as internship/voluntary work experience). Students will undertake professional tasks and roles and critically reflect on their practice, learning to identify their own professional needs and the resources available to them.

Work placements are negotiated either with students’ own employing organisation, if appropriate to the programme, or with a range of appropriate organisations that the university has connections with, for a minimum of 4 hours per week for the duration of the second semester. Appropriate support is available to both employers and students undertaking ‘Work Based Learning in Applied Criminology’.

The University does not guarantee the access to placement to each students in the programme, the students without a secure placement within the end of Semester 1 will automatically be enrolled in the alternative module CR7961.

This module will develop the understanding of the research process required at advanced and postgraduate level. The module will through the use of surveys explore the issues relating to the design and analysis of quantitative research. Qualitative research design and analysis will be addressed through exploring the techniques of data collection associated with interviewing, focus group research, life course analysis, ethnography and biographical approaches. Issues of research ethics as well as sampling within both qualitative and quantitative methods will also be explored. The application, organisation and dissemination of research findings will be dealt with through an examination of the writing up and presentational aspects of the research process.

This module will explore the issues surrounding wrongful conviction and miscarriages of justice, introducing students to the Winchester Justice Project, making them actively engaged in practice, through examining a real-life case of an individual maintaining wrongful conviction for a serious offence.

After being introduced to the Justice Project protocols, background, ethical and data protection considerations, students will work as a team (supervised by a member of the Criminology teaching team) to conduct research on the case files currently held within the Crime and Justice Research Centre at the University with a view to developing their skills in assessing evidence and understanding the criminal justice process.

Students will develop knowledge regarding theory, concepts and debates surrounding wrongful convictions, miscarriages of justice and continued claims of innocence, becoming aware of at the work of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, and exploring issues such as police investigative procedures and evidence collection.

Students must take either this module or module CR7961 (Work Based Learning in Applied Criminology).

The module is an opportunity to undertake an extended piece of original research directed towards a specific professional context. The research will tackle an issue of contemporary relevance to an external organisation working broadly within the criminological field. The project will recognise current debates within the academic and professional literatures and will be based on a sophisticated review of salient literatures. It is expected that the project will contain a substantial amount of original data which will be collected, analysed and presented as part of the project. The finding of the project will be applied to a specific professional context and it is expected that it will conclude with a set of recommendations which address an aspect of current practice. Aspects of the project may be negotiated with an external organisation.

Students must take either this module or module CR7962 (Independent Study Project).

The module is an opportunity to undertake an extended piece of original research identifying a specific professional context that can make use of its results. The project will tackle an issue of contemporary relevance, will recognise current debates within the academic and professional literatures and will be based on a sophisticated review of salient literatures. It is expected that the project will contain a substantial amount of data which could be either collected, analysed and presented as part of a primary research, or analysed and assessed as secondary data coming from official reports or other researchers’ studies. The finding of the project will be applied to a specific professional context identified by the student as the ideal recipient, and it is expected that it will conclude with a set of recommendations which address an aspect of current practice. This is an Independent Study module.

Students must take either this module or module CR7960 (Applied Criminology Knowledge Exchange Project).

• Investigative Leadership and Management in Policing - 20 Credits
• Cybercrime and Cybersecurity - 20 Credits
• Comparative Perspectives on Contemporary Policing - 20 Credits
• Organised Crime, Security and Human Right in a Global World - 20 Credits
• Intersectional Perspectives on Violence and Victimisation - 20 Credits

Criminology is both a unique and distinctive social science discipline in that it brings together those social science and humanities disciplines with an interest in issues of crime and criminality. Criminology is also an applied social science and as such makes a contribution not only to the development of theoretical explanations but also to the policy and practice of those agencies and organisations in society charged with the management, control and prevention of crime. As such this module will explore and develop an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of Criminology and the relationship between theoretical perspectives and explanations and the substantive issues of crime and criminality. It will also critically examine the unique contribution of a range of academic disciplines in explaining the phenomenon of crime and criminality. The module will also explore the relationship between theoretical explanations of crime and their application in the realm of policy and practice at both a macro and micro level, i.e. at both the societal and community level as well as at the agency and organisational level of those charged with the responsibility to operationalize such policies. The module will conclude by exploring the changing practices of a range of crime related agencies such as the police, prison and probation services, amongst others, in the management, control and prevention of crime and criminality in a constantly and fast changing social, economic and political environment.

The module allows students to critically reflect upon a period of professional experience in a context appropriate to the course (the student’s own employment in an appropriate career as well as internship/voluntary work experience). Students will undertake professional tasks and roles and critically reflect on their practice, learning to identify their own professional needs and the resources available to them.

Work placements are negotiated either with students’ own employing organisation, if appropriate to the programme, or with a range of appropriate organisations that the university has connections with, for a minimum of 4 hours per week for the duration of the second semester. Appropriate support is available to both employers and students undertaking ‘Work Based Learning in Applied Criminology’.

The University does not guarantee the access to placement to each students in the programme, the students without a secure placement within the end of Semester 1 will automatically be enrolled in the alternative module CR7961.

This module will develop the understanding of the research process required at advanced and postgraduate level. The module will through the use of surveys explore the issues relating to the design and analysis of quantitative research. Qualitative research design and analysis will be addressed through exploring the techniques of data collection associated with interviewing, focus group research, life course analysis, ethnography and biographical approaches. Issues of research ethics as well as sampling within both qualitative and quantitative methods will also be explored. The application, organisation and dissemination of research findings will be dealt with through an examination of the writing up and presentational aspects of the research process.

This module will explore the issues surrounding wrongful conviction and miscarriages of justice, introducing students to the Winchester Justice Project, making them actively engaged in practice, through examining a real-life case of an individual maintaining wrongful conviction for a serious offence.

After being introduced to the Justice Project protocols, background, ethical and data protection considerations, students will work as a team (supervised by a member of the Criminology teaching team) to conduct research on the case files currently held within the Crime and Justice Research Centre at the University with a view to developing their skills in assessing evidence and understanding the criminal justice process.

Students will develop knowledge regarding theory, concepts and debates surrounding wrongful convictions, miscarriages of justice and continued claims of innocence, becoming aware of at the work of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, and exploring issues such as police investigative procedures and evidence collection.

Students must take either this module or module CR7961 (Work Based Learning in Applied Criminology).

The module is an opportunity to undertake an extended piece of original research directed towards a specific professional context. The research will tackle an issue of contemporary relevance to an external organisation working broadly within the criminological field. The project will recognise current debates within the academic and professional literatures and will be based on a sophisticated review of salient literatures. It is expected that the project will contain a substantial amount of original data which will be collected, analysed and presented as part of the project. The finding of the project will be applied to a specific professional context and it is expected that it will conclude with a set of recommendations which address an aspect of current practice. Aspects of the project may be negotiated with an external organisation.

Students must take either this module or module CR7962 (Independent Study Project).

The module is an opportunity to undertake an extended piece of original research identifying a specific professional context that can make use of its results. The project will tackle an issue of contemporary relevance, will recognise current debates within the academic and professional literatures and will be based on a sophisticated review of salient literatures. It is expected that the project will contain a substantial amount of data which could be either collected, analysed and presented as part of a primary research, or analysed and assessed as secondary data coming from official reports or other researchers’ studies. The finding of the project will be applied to a specific professional context identified by the student as the ideal recipient, and it is expected that it will conclude with a set of recommendations which address an aspect of current practice. This is an Independent Study module.

Students must take either this module or module CR7960 (Applied Criminology Knowledge Exchange Project).

• Investigative Leadership and Management in Policing - 20 Credits
• Cybercrime and Cybersecurity - 20 Credits
• Comparative Perspectives on Contemporary Policing - 20 Credits
• Organised Crime, Security and Human Right in a Global World - 20 Credits
• Intersectional Perspectives on Violence and Victimisation - 20 Credits