| Unit name | Criminology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD30100 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Naughton |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
In contrast to Criminal Law, which is concerned with the rules which determine whether a person has committed a criminal offence, Criminology considers what factors may have led to the offender's breaking the law in the first place. The explanations of criminality which comprise the bulk of this unit can be roughly divided into (a) sociological, (b) physiological, and (c) psychological. The wide range of sociological accounts considered includes the importance of the neighbourhood where the offender grows up, the type of friends the offender makes, the formation of delinquent groups or gangs and the effect of poverty.
The Criminology unit has three principal aims, which are to explain:
i) the origins and development of criminology
ii) the data and methods employed in criminological inquiry
iii) the principal theoretical perspectives advanced by criminologists regarding the epidemiology and aetiology of crime
By the end of this unit you should:
i) Be aware of the principal theoretical perspectives on the causes of crime
ii) Be able to discuss these theories critically based on an understanding of them
iii) Be able to evaluate critically the way in which our knowledge of the extent of crime is obtained
iv) Have the ability to express your knowledge and views clearly in both oral and written form
v) Have developed your ability to form your own views on the basis of primary sources as well as written and other materials drawn from the selected reading and from your own independent library research
vi) Have developed your ability to work in a group in completing joint tasks and to negotiate work plans for individuals within the group
One weekly lecture and in the first two terms and seven fortnightly tutorials.
Two summative pieces of coursework of 2,000 words, each contributing 50% to the final mark. Students will also have the opportunity to submit one formative essay.
Jones, S. (2013) Criminology (OUP)
Maguire, M., Morgan, R. and Reiner, R. (2012) (Eds) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology (OUP)
