LW2CCJ: Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice

Module code: LW2CCJ

Module provider: School of Law

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Leandro Franca, email: l.franca@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim of the module is to provide students with good grounding in studying the administration of criminal justice through looking at the various agencies involved, including how they evolved and how they interact with government bodies as well as offenders and victims) and reviewing current debates in criminal justice. It explores contemporary policy debates and perspectives in criminal justice and crime control. Students will study criminal justice policy within the context of broader social changes, social inequalities and political and ideological processes, and consider the ways in which policy debates inform, and are informed by, broader perspectives on criminal justice and the politics of crime control.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of key aspects of the criminal justice process in England and Wales, including an awareness of current debates on these topics. 
2. Demonstrate an ability to analyse and evaluate differing opinions on the law, policy and practice of the administration of criminal justice. 
3. Understand the limits of existing knowledge and how this influences analysis and interpretations based on that knowledge 
4. Think critically about current debate in criminal justice 

Module content

Models of Criminal Justice, policing, youth justice, death penalty, fines and other financial penalties, prisons, community punishments, correctional treatment and rehabilitation, media representations of criminal justice and the use of algorithms and AI in criminal justice.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will be taught by a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials supplemented by online exercises. Seminars and tutorials will be lecturer led and students will be expected to work together to produce short presentations and to discuss. Students will be expected to undertake relevant preparatory reading prior to attending seminars.  Assessment ‘surgeries’ will be provided through online sessions. Additional online blended learning materials will be provided for students to review in order to supplement and support their understanding of lectures. 

Study hours

At least 37 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Coursework plan of not more than 500 words.

Reassessment

Additional costs