This module is not currently running in 2024 to 2025.
This module explores contemporary issues in criminal justice focusing mostly on the British context. The curriculum provides the opportunity for Kent students to connect with real world criminal justice issues, including imprisonment, and for Prison Partner (inside) students to place their own experiences of the criminal justice system in a wider academic context.
The curriculum is divided into four parts. These are as follows:
• Part one: Prison security training; separate introductory meetings; first joint meeting and introduction to reflective writing and facilitated
learning.
• Part two: Substantive topics of criminological interest e.g. what causes crime; do prisons work; how should we regulate drugs; how should
victims be treated within the criminal justice system.
• Part three: The development of a group project between small groups of Kent and Prison Partner (either HMP Cookham Wood or HMP
Rochester) students. This project will be related to one of the substantive topics from part two and will culminate in a group presentation.
• Part four: Closing ceremony and debriefing providing a final space to reflect on the overall learning experience.
Total contact hours: 30 hours
Private study: 120 hours
Total study hours: 150 hours
BA Criminal Justice and Criminology
Main Assessment methods
Coursework – reflective essay (1000 Words) -25%
Coursework – Reflective journal/portfolio – (4000 Words) -75%
.
Reassessment Methods
100% coursework
• Cohen, S., (2001) States of Denial: Knowing about Atrocities and Suffering (chapter 1 and extracts)
• Nutt, D, King, L and Phillips, L (2010), Drug harms in the UK: a multicriteria decision analysis, The Lancet, 376 (9752): 1558-1565.
• Pompa, L (2013) One brick at a time: The Power and Possibility of Dialogue Across the Prison Wall The Prison Journal.
• Roberts, J.V. and Hough, M. (2011) Custody or Community? Exploring the boundaries of public punitiveness in England and Wales. Criminology and Criminal Justice 11: 181-197.
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to demonstrate:
8.1 Knowledge of the prison as a key institution in the criminal justice system;
8.2 Knowledge and critical understanding of theoretical debates relating to justice;
8.3 Up-to-date knowledge and a critical understanding of a selection of issues in criminal justice;
8.4 Knowledge of the principles that underlie criminal justice policies;
8.5 Identification, use and application of criminological theory to analyse crime and the response to crime;
8.6 The ability to critically evaluate social science arguments and evidence
8.7 The ability to seek solutions to crime and criminal behaviour.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to demonstrate:
9.1 The ability to gather, process and offer a critical reflection from their class engagement and interaction;
9.2 Succinct and focussed writing skills relating to the production of critically reflective papers;
9.3 The ability to plan workload and manage time;
9.4 The ability to reflect on the development of interpersonal/teamwork skills;
9.5 The ability to give presentations;
9.6 The enhanced ability to communicate ideas and arguments, particularly in spoken form
9.7 A sensitivity to the values and interests of others and the dimensions of difference.
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