Sociology and Criminology

The Politics of Criminalisation (Spring)

Module code: L3124B
Level 5
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar, Workshop
Assessment modes: Portfolio

This module looks at the political dynamics of policy formation and the enactment of legislation in the field of law and order.

You'll learn:

• when criminalization is an appropriate response to undesirable behaviour in society 
• the process of policy formation and legislating
• the role of victims, the media, and other policy entrepreneurs such as NGOs in influencing government programmes and bringing about changes in the law.

The module includes case studies which allow us to explore these dynamics and interrogate the role of political ideology in taking some proposals forward and abandoning others.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the process of developing policy and legislation in the field of law and order
• Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of theories of criminalisation and be able to apply these to empirical examples
• Analyse the relationship between political ideology and law and order policy
• Demonstrate the ability to independently select, define, research, and construct a case study through a critical engagement with appropriate sources