This module is not currently running in 2024 to 2025.
This module, Young People and Violence, approaches the study of interpersonal violent crime as it relates to young people. It will explore violence experienced in everyday life paying particular interest to the social context in which it can occur; for example urban spaces, schools, familial setting and 'gang, gun and knife culture'. The concern with youth, crime and violence is critically appraised in the context of shifting political focus on disaffected young people. It will seek to understand violence within the context of youth in late modernity. One of the primary objectives of this module will be to engage students in analytical debates on crime and violence as experienced by young people as perpetrators and victims. It will examine and apply criminological theory to youth violence exploring the connection between crime and violence through the intersection of race, gender, ethnicity and class. In particular, the module will investigate the link between structure and agency. In this module, students will have the opportunity to review the impact of changing political and criminal justice responses to the youth crime problem. The module will have a national, as well as international focus.
Total contact hours: 22
Private study hours: 128
Total study hours: 150
BA Criminal Justice and Criminology
BSc Social Sciences
Main assessment methods
Essay (2500 words) (50%)
Examination, 2 hour (50%)
Reassessment methods
Reassessment Instrument: 100% coursework
Ellis, A. (2016) Men, Masculinities and Violence: An Ethnographic Study. Oxon: Routledge
Ferrell, J., Hayward, K., Morrison, W. and Presdee, M. (2004) Cultural Criminology Unleashed. London: Glass House
Hall, S. (2012) Theorising Crime and Deviance: A New Perspective. London: Sage Publications
Maguire, M., Morgan, R., & Reiner, R. (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology (5th ed) Oxford University Press
Muncie, J. (2015) Youth & Crime. 4rd Edition. Sage Publications Ltd
Ray, L. (2011) Violence and Society. London: Sage Publications
See the library reading list for this module (Medway)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
8.1 Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of classical and contemporary debates on youth crime and violence, including the
intersection between age, gender, race, ethnicity and class.
8.2 Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of key political and theoretical debates on the topic of youth crime and violence and be
able to apply these to criminology and other criminal justice areas.
8.3 Demonstrate an ability to critically appraise the criminal justice response to youth violence and evaluate the impact of national and
international responses to juvenile delinquency.
8.4 Demonstrate knowledge of conceptual approaches to research into youth crime and violence and how these translate into criminal justice
policy and practice.
8.5 Demonstrate an ability to identify and evaluate empirical political and academic material on youth related crime and violence, including
primary and secondary qualitative and quantitative research, and relate this to theoretical debates within criminology.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
9.1 Effectively compare and contrast different kinds of empirical research.
9.2 Understand and effectively apply differing theoretical positions to aid in the analysis of a complex subject matter.
9.3 Locate and assess academic and policy sources to develop a balance argument.
9.4 Synthesise key conceptual arguments coherently in written form.
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