LW349-6-SP-CO:
Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice: Law, Policy and Practice
2022/23
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Monday 16 January 2023
Friday 24 March 2023
15
15 September 2022
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module will appeal to students seeking an in-depth and critical knowledge of the law, policy and practice of key aspects of the criminal justice system in England and Wales.
The module will begin with an overview of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. The importance of the presumption of innocence and defendant right to a fair trial will also be addressed. The significance of the political context in the development of criminal justice policy, and recent trends and themes in criminal justice policy will be examined. This overview will link to later discussions on the particular aspects of the criminal process explored. Specific aspects of the criminal process, ranging from pre-trial to post-trial stage, will then be examined in-depth.
1. To provide students with knowledge and understanding of the law, policy and practice of specific aspects of the criminal process in England and Wales.
2. To encourage students to engage critically with the literature and other evidence, and to develop reasoned judgments and arguments based on their engagement with this material.
3. To encourage students to communicate effectively in both oral and written format.
4. To encourage an appreciation of the social and political context in which the criminal justice system operates.
At the end of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate systematic knowledge and critical understanding of key aspects of the criminal justice process in England and Wales, including a critical awareness of current debates on these topics
2. Demonstrate an ability to critically analyse and evaluate differing opinions on the law, policy and practice of the criminal process
3. Appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of existing knowledge and how this influences analysis and interpretations based on that knowledge
4. Describe and critically review, reflect upon, and evaluate academic writings and other research-based evidence
5. Formulate independent judgments
6. Provide reasoned and sustained arguments based on their evaluation of the relevant academic literature and other research-based evidence
7. To present these arguments in a coherent manner, both orally and in writing
Indicative Syllabus:
Week 1: Introduction to Module
Week 2: Policing 1: Stop and Search
Week 3: Plea Bargaining
Week 4: Juries
Week 5: Gender and CJ – sexual offending
Week 6: Policing 2: Police and Crime Commissioners
Week 7: Policing 3: Policing, Public (Dis) Order and Protest
Week 8: Imprisonment
Week 9: Sentencing
Week 10: Preparation for Essays
This module is taught via weekly two-hour seminars. You will also need to answer a set of MCQs on Moodle before your tutorial. You must complete the required readings in order to be able to complete the MCQs and to engage fully in the seminar. Seminars will be interactive – students are expected to fully participate. Students will be expected to take an independent approach to their learning and classes will be heavily focused on group workshops and wider class discussions on the readings set.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Multiple Choice Quizzes - Continuous Assessment (LW349 Criminal Justice) |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Essay (LW349 Criminal Justice) |
|
80% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Simon Cooper, email: sjcoop@essex.ac.uk.
Dr. Simon Cooper & Mr Colin Moore
Law UG Education Administrators - lawschoolug@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dr Steven Cammiss
University of Birmingham
Associate Professor
Available via Moodle
Of 40 hours, 40 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Essex Law School
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