Sociology and Criminology

Criminology of Violence and Death

Module code: L5104B
Level 6
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Workshop
Assessment modes: Essay

The module examines the criminology of violence and death. The underlying 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
• murder.

Each area 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 aetiology of offenders will be examined, spanning people who commit 'everyday' violent crime to those who are passionately committed to extremism.

Finally, you will evaluate cultural and media representations of violent crime and death. On completion of the module you will have a more critical overview of criminological approaches to violence 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.