Sociology and Criminology

Criminology of Violence and Death

Module code: L5104B
Level 6
30 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Workshop
Assessment modes: Coursework

This module examines the criminology of violence and death. The aim is to understand motivations for violent crime and to critically assess appropriate criminal justice responses.

The module will focus on different areas of violent crime including hate crime, gendered violence, state violence and murder which are areas of increasing topical and policy concern. Each will be examined in relation to policy and the lived reality for victims and offenders.

The module examines:

  • different victim groups which might include ethnic minorities, the disabled or women, situating them within the wider field of victimology
  • the causes or origins of offenders' behavior which includes people who commit 'everyday' violent crime to those who are passionately committed to extremism cultural and media representations of violent crime and death.

 

Module learning outcomes

  • Deploy established criminological and victimological techniques of analysis and inquiry to examine crimes of violence and approaches to death; case studies; policy and practice.
  • Devise and sustain arguments about the criminology of death and violence and situate them within a conceptual understanding of crime.
  • Be critically aware of cultural and media representations of crimes of violence and approaches to death, and employ criminological and victimological concepts and techniques of inquiry to analyse these.
  • Be able to comment on key case studies and their influence on criminal justice responses, drawing on a developed conceptual understanding.
  • Demonstrate a detailed knowledge and systematic understanding of relevant contemporary and established research in the area, including an appraisal of its limits, ambiguities and uncertainties.
  • Critically evaluate research on crimes of violence and approaches to death in order to make judgments about ways of tackling and preventing these, including but not limited to appropriate criminal justice responses.