Criminology and Policing - BA (Hons)

Abertay University

You’ll explore how key criminological theories have developed over time and how they continue to shape our understanding of crime, punishment and the ways society defines criminal behaviour. Indicative Content - Modernity and socio-cultural formation: Explore early criminological thought, including biological positivism, strain theory and the Chicago School’s subcultural theory. - Interaction and structure: Examine how crime is viewed through labelling and interactionist perspectives, and how Marxist and left realist criminologies interpret power and inequality. - Control and containment: Analyse theories focused on social control, right realism, rational choice and situational crime prevention. - Late modernity and reflexivity: Consider contemporary approaches such as cultural criminology and edgework, exploring crime as a form of risk-taking, resistance and identity expression.

In this module, you’ll explore how policing in the UK has evolved, from its early development to the modern day. You’ll examine key debates, reforms, and challenges shaping the role of the police in society today. Indicative Content - History of the Police: Explore how policing developed in the UK — from informal systems of order to the creation of organised police forces. Examine the evolution from ‘Peelers’ to modern policing roles such as risk managers and knowledge workers. - Policing Structures and Systems: Learn how policing is organised in the UK. Understand hierarchies, powers and cultures within the police, and consider how the media shapes public perceptions of policing. - Police Operations: Study how crime is introduced, analysed and investigated. Explore different policing styles and approaches to crime reduction, community safety, terrorism, and organised crime. - Key Debates in Contemporary Policing: Examine the big questions facing policing today — including governance, accountability, ethics, performance management, and the role of surveillance in modern law enforcement.

In this module, you’ll be introduced to the work of three major social theorists — Karl Marx, Max Weber and Émile Durkheim. You’ll explore how their ideas shaped our understanding of modern society and examine how their theories continue to influence contemporary sociology and critiques of capitalism today. Indicative Content - Karl Marx: Manifesto of the Communist Party; History and Class Struggle; Money, Surplus Value and Exploitation; Ideology, Alienation and Commodity Fetishism; Primitive Accumulation, Capitalism and Communism. - Max Weber: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism; Verstehen and Methodology; Bureaucracy and Rationalisation; Class, Status and Party; Power, Legitimacy and the State. - Émile Durkheim: The Rules of Sociological Method; Suicide; Division of Labour; Law, Morality and Religion; Anomie, Crime, Deviance and the Law.

Please note: If you are a Direct Entrant (new student) to this year of study and have not previously taken module ABE101, then you MUST take ABE201 as your Term 2 microcredential module. If you have previously taken ABE101, then you are NOT permitted to take ABE201 in Term 2. Starting university brings new opportunities and challenges, and every student’s journey is different. This microcredential helps you settle into life at Abertay and build the habits that lead to success. You’ll hear from current students sharing their own tips, and reflect on the areas you most want to develop. You’ll get to know Abertay’s systems, explore what makes a successful student and practise core skills such as time management, referencing, academic writing style and using support services. By the end, you’ll have the tools and strategies you need to thrive at university. Indicative content - Navigating Abertay Systems: Get to know the key systems you’ll use at Abertay—such as MyLearningSpace, MS Teams, OASIS and MyAbertay—and learn how to use them effectively. - Expectations of University and You: Explore what’s expected of you as a student and what you can expect from the university. Topics include the code of conduct, independent and blended learning, how courses are structured, health and safety, and the Abertay attributes. - Abertay Discovery Tool: Complete the Discovery Tool to identify your strengths and areas for development across five themes: studying at university, academic skills, digital skills, careers and employability, and wellbeing. - Fundamentals of University: Learn how modules work, how assessments are set, and how to use assignment briefs and feedback to improve your work. - Understanding, Searching and Evaluating Information: Develop strategies for finding and assessing reliable information, building your confidence in research and study skills. - Successful Student Behaviours: Practise the habits that help you succeed: managing time, avoiding procrastination, effective note-taking, preparing for classes, developing a growth mindset, and making use of student support services. - Referencing: Understand academic integrity and why referencing matters. Learn how to avoid plagiarism, create in-text citations and reference lists, and use digital tools to manage your sources. - Sounding Academic: Discover what lecturers mean by “academic style” and how to use the right language in your writing. Learn the rules of academic writing, how to paraphrase effectively, and how expectations differ between school/college and university. You’ll also explore how assessments, marking and feedback work.

Explore how new laws are created and interpreted, how policing is evolving, and how emerging forms of behaviour become defined and treated as crime. Indicative Content - Criminalisation: The criminalisation of everything; the development of new laws, forms of surveillance and ways of thinking about crime. - Race and class: Moral and amoral panics, past and present, regarding class and race. - Tolerance, intolerance and zero tolerance: Changing nature of the elite, of the legal subject and the new criminalising dynamic. - Fear, risk and regulation: The importance of policing fear and developing a culture of control. - The rise and fall of 'youth': Freedom and rebellion; regulation and safety of generation 'Snowflake'.

In this module, you’ll be introduced to the core principles and methods of social science research, developing both qualitative and quantitative research skills. You’ll learn how to design and conduct interviews, focus groups and observations, and how to analyse qualitative data using thematic analysis and NVivo software. You’ll also gain practical experience working with quantitative data, learning how to apply key statistical concepts and use SPSS to organise, describe and interpret social science datasets. Indicative Content - Qualitative data collection: The first part of the module will involve both a theoretical and 'hands on' introduction to a number of important qualitative data-collection methods such as semi-structured interviews, focus groups and participant observation. You'll learn how such techniques are applicable to different research contexts and scenarios, and how you should reflect upon yourself as active, ethical participants in conducting qualitative research. - Qualitative data analysis: The first part of the module also provides opportunities for you to engage in the analysis of data produced using qualitative data collection techniques. The main emphasis here will be on thematic analysis and how qualitative researchers use this to produce social scientific knowledge about social phenomena. This part of the module will also familiarise you with the use of NVivo computer software for qualitative data analysis. - Fundamentals of statistics: The second part of the module will involve an introduction to key concepts in statistics. You'll learn about the role that these play in underpinning different techniques for the description and interpretation of quantitative social scientific data. - Quantitative data analysis: The second part of the module also provides opportunities for you to engage with quantitative datasets and to gain 'hands on' experience in using SPSS software to organise, describe and make robust inferences from that data.

In this module, you’ll gain insight into how the prison system works, exploring what imprisonment means for those inside and examining penal policy and practice in the UK and around the world. Indicative Content - Contemporary Developments in Penal Theory, Policy & Practice: You’ll explore how penal institutions operate in today’s society, looking at issues of legitimacy, debates around reform and reorganisation, and the impact of privatisation on the prison system. - Prison Life: The Reality: You’ll examine what it really means to ‘do time’, considering prisons as ‘total institutions’. You’ll look at strategies people use to survive, daily regime activities, the roles of both prison and civilian staff, and the challenges of social exclusion, power and hierarchy inside prisons. - Challenges and Realities for Differing Groups: You’ll investigate how prison experiences differ depending on protected characteristics, status or location. You’ll also evaluate penal policies and programmes designed to recognise and support these differences. - Attitudes to Imprisonment: You’ll question why prisons exist, why they remain central to penal policy, and whether they’re culturally acceptable. You’ll also explore how attitudes vary across societies and contexts, and engage with debates around abolition versus reform.

In this module, you’ll explore cybercrime and policing through the lens of technologies as socially constructed. You’ll examine how digital technologies shape both criminal activity and law enforcement responses, gaining insight into the complex relationship between technology, society and crime. Indicative Content - Concepts on the Social Study of Technology: You’ll be introduced to key ideas in the social study of technology, including the Social Construction of Technology, Technological Determinism, and Actor-Network Theory. These perspectives will help you think critically about how technologies are shaped by — and in turn shape — society. - Studies in Cybercrime and Security: You’ll explore major issues in cybercrime and security, such as malware, security policies and mechanisms, encryption, and unauthorised access to computing resources. You’ll consider how these challenges affect individuals, organisations and wider society. - Studies in Policing Technologies: You’ll examine how digital technologies are transforming policing, looking at areas such as automated surveillance, data-driven policing, and mobile working. You’ll reflect on the opportunities and challenges these technologies create for law enforcement and society.

In this module, you’ll build on the skills you developed in SOC220 and take them further by exploring a range of advanced qualitative and quantitative research tools. You’ll learn how social researchers generate knowledge, while also gaining a critical understanding of the philosophical foundations of social science. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your abilities in data collection and analysis, and if you’re planning to carry out empirical research for your dissertation, this module will give you the platform and confidence to do so. Indicative Content - Philosophical Issues in Social Science Research: You’ll explore the big ideas that shape how social scientists study the world. This includes looking at different approaches such as positivism, interpretivism, post-structuralism and post-modernism. You’ll also think critically about whether social science can (or should) try to make generalisations about human behaviour. - Advanced Qualitative Analysis: You’ll develop your skills in analysing language, meaning and experience using advanced qualitative methods. This includes techniques such as rhetorical and discourse analysis, interpretative repertoire analysis, conversation analysis and phenomenological analysis. These tools will help you dig deeper into how people communicate and make sense of the world. - Advanced Quantitative Analysis: You’ll build confidence in using advanced statistical techniques to explore data. This includes learning how to apply tests such as T-tests and ANOVA, as well as working with correlation and regression. You’ll also explore more complex methods like dummy variables and nested regression models, giving you the tools to handle real-world data with accuracy and insight.

In this module, you’ll take an applied look at policing, exploring how it works in practice. You’ll review different perspectives on a wide range of policing approaches, from day-to-day operations to organisational processes, while developing a clear understanding of the core concepts, themes and how effective these practices really are. Indicative Content - Policing Models: You’ll explore how policing is structured and organised, looking at the systems that allow officers to focus on operational work. You’ll also examine police powers and legislation, specialist functions, and the role of the National Intelligence Model. - Police Operations: You’ll investigate how crime is analysed and investigated, revisit different policing styles, and consider approaches to crime reduction and community safety. You’ll also look at responses to terrorism, organised crime, and the use of armed policing. - Key Debates in Contemporary Policing: You’ll engage with some of the biggest debates shaping policing today, including governance, accountability, ethics, performance management, and the drive towards professionalisation. - Plural Policing: You’ll examine the changing roles and responsibilities of the wide range of agencies involved in policing, and consider how they work together to keep communities safe.

In this module, you’ll explore the theories, processes and practices that shape police crime investigations. You’ll gain insight into how investigations are carried out in real-world contexts, while developing a strong understanding of the key concepts that underpin them. Indicative Content - Historical and Contemporary Developments in Crime Investigation: You’ll explore how crime investigation has evolved over time, from its early beginnings to its role as a core function of modern policing. You’ll also consider how investigative practices have changed and adapted in response to contemporary challenges. - Crime Investigation Processes: You’ll take a critical look at the key stages of a crime investigation, including evidence gathering, managing victims and witnesses, investigative ethics, and collaboration between agencies. You’ll also reflect on how investigative success is measured and what makes an investigation effective. - Influences over Crime Investigation: You’ll examine how internal police culture, values and beliefs can shape the way investigations are carried out. You’ll also explore the wider social and cultural influences that affect investigative practices and outcomes. - Types of Crime Investigation Including Challenges: You’ll investigate different types of crime investigation, such as homicide, organised crime, volume crime and domestic violence. You’ll consider the unique complexities and challenges each type presents, and how investigators adapt their approaches to deal with them.

In this module, you’ll explore how attitudes towards death, dying, and killing have changed over time. You’ll examine the links between power and the right to take or preserve life, and consider how death and killing are represented and justified in different social, cultural, and political contexts. Indicative Content - The Death-Denial Thesis: You’ll explore how ideas about death and dying have shifted from pre-modern times to the postmodern era. This includes examining concepts such as death denial, ambivalence, the sequestration of death, and the more recent ‘revival’ of death in public and cultural conversations. - Social, Political and Legal Constructions of Death: You’ll investigate how death is shaped and understood through social, political, and legal frameworks. This includes looking at issues such as state crime, deviance, and the role of militarism in defining and legitimising death. - Death and Representation: You’ll analyse how death is represented in different contexts, from conflict and commemoration to public memorials. You’ll also consider how death is portrayed in popular culture and the media, including representations of war and death in the news. - Death and Power: You’ll examine the ways in which power influences death, focusing on the social mechanisms of oppression, consent, and legitimation that determine when, how, and why people kill and die. This includes studying themes such as terror and genocide. - Bioethics and Politics: You’ll explore the ethical and political debates surrounding life and death, including the tension between the sanctity of life and the quality of life. You’ll also consider the politics of making ‘ethical’ decisions about life and death, with a focus on issues such as capital punishment.

This module introduces students to key issues and debates in policing and criminal justice matters for the 21st century. It concentrates on emerging police issues, contemporary research in tackling gangs and violence, both in US and UK, eco-crime, policing borders and immigration and state crime. Indicative Content - A Victim Focused Justice System: You’ll explore theories that explain the growing recognition of victims within the criminal justice system. You’ll also consider how victim-based policing operates in practice and what it means for justice today. - Systemic Problems in Policing: You’ll critically examine issues such as systemic racism and misogyny within policing, and analyse how hate crime is policed. This will help you question how fair and effective the system is in addressing discrimination and inequality. - A Feminist Justice System?: You’ll take a detailed look at the international influence of feminism on the criminal justice system, exploring how feminist perspectives have shaped debates, policies, and practices around justice. - Restorative Justice: You’ll investigate the rise of restorative justice as a victim-centred approach, considering how it works in practice and how it differs from traditional forms of justice. - Crime Governance: You’ll critically explore the growth of securitisation – the ways in which crime control has expanded beyond the police – and reflect on what this means for society and justice. - Policing Behaviour: You’ll examine how everyday behaviours have increasingly become the focus of policing, from Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) to interventions aimed at parents and children.

In this module, you’ll have the chance to design and carry out your own research project on a sociological topic that interests you. You’ll learn how to investigate a question in a structured way and present your findings clearly, giving you valuable experience of independent research and communication. Indicative Content - Research Design: You’ll learn how to choose the most suitable research method for your chosen topic and put it into practice. With guidance from your project supervisor, you’ll gain hands-on experience in planning and carrying out your own investigation. - Reviewing Literature : You’ll collect and evaluate evidence from existing research in your field, using it to strengthen your understanding of the topic and to shape your own study. This will help you see how your work connects to wider debates and knowledge. - Analysing and Interpreting Data: You’ll develop the skills to collect, organise, and make sense of data. With support from your supervisor, you’ll learn how to turn raw information into meaningful results, whether that’s through words, numbers, or a combination of both. - Presenting Findings: You’ll bring your project together by writing it up in a clear and professional way, following academic conventions. You’ll also learn how to share your findings with others, making your research ‘public’ and demonstrating your ability to communicate ideas effectively.

In this module, you’ll examine how policing is changing in today’s society by exploring the challenges and opportunities of working with diverse and emerging communities. You’ll look at contemporary issues that shape modern policing and develop a critical understanding of how the police respond to the needs of different groups. Indicative Content - Historical and Contemporary Developments in Community Policing: You’ll explore the importance of community policing by looking at how it has developed over time. This includes examining historical and contemporary definitions, theories, and models, and considering how these approaches continue to shape policing today. - Policing Diverse Communities: You’ll investigate how the diversity of modern society influences the way communities are policed. You’ll learn why valuing diversity and inclusion is essential, and explore case studies that show how police work with different groups, such as digital communities, vulnerable groups, rural and urban populations, and indigenous communities. - Maintaining Police Legitimacy and Public Perceptions: You’ll examine how the police build and maintain trust with individuals and communities. This includes looking at how effective communication can encourage cooperation, and how public confidence in policing can be strengthened. You’ll also study models such as procedural justice to understand how legitimacy is enhanced. - Role of Communities in Community Forms of Policing and Challenges of This: You’ll explore the different ways police and communities can work together to achieve shared goals. You’ll also consider how communities can hold the police to account, and the challenges that arise when relationships are strained or when there are diverse views and expectations. Key concepts such as public value and consent will help you critically analyse these dynamics. - Public Health Policing: You’ll look at how the police collaborate with other agencies to tackle issues affecting communities, such as violence and organised crime. You’ll explore approaches like violence reduction strategies and community-based solutions, and reflect on how these methods can improve safety and well-being.