BA (Hons) Social Care and Criminology & Criminal Justice with Foundation Year

The aim of this module is for students to gain an understanding of the funding, organisation and delivery of social care services in contemporary Britain. Students will need to show an understanding of the state, market and family and their respective roles within the mixed economy of welfare, as well as the purchaser/provider split and its implications for the funding and delivery of social care services. Students will be introduced to key policies and legislation and there will be a focus on core academic skills such as source selection, referencing, paraphrasing and academic writing, with students required to demonstrate their proficiency in each of these areas in order to progress from the module.

The aim of this module is to enable students to develop an understanding of different sociological (collectives of people) and psychological (individual) theories, models and concepts. Students will explore keys concepts, theories and modules which are essential for providing an explanation of contemporary social care issues and challenges and predicting future outcomes. This will develop Students skills in reflective practice, critical enquiry and debate by exploring real-life case studies allowing students to progress as a professional. Theories, models and concepts are essential for justification of decision making as well as improve skills required to work within a complex and changing Social Care settings.

To introduce students to how we think about crime and criminal justice. The module explores how popular and official knowledge about crime and victimisation are contructed. It goes on to locate these constructions within the context of contemporary British society.

This module will introduce students to the key elements of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England and Wales. It highlights how the police, CPS, courts, jury and sentencing operate independently but also within a wider framework, thereby giving students vital introductory information that is required to explore the deeper workings of the system later within their degree. There is also opportunity to consider potential future careers within the CJS (through listening to guest speakers who work in the field, asking questions and reflecting upon their own possible aspirations within seminars) and work towards the Wolverhampton Enterprise and Employability Award Silver Level (WEEA). The assessment for this module also builds upon the employability theme of this module, as students take on the roles of different parts of the CJS and develop team work, debating and presentation skills.

This module examines the relationship between the media, culture and society by questioning the role of media and culture, and its centrality to social life in the 21st century. Who controls the media? What messages does the media send about social groups – particularly disadvantaged ones? What role does the media have in manufacturing deviance? Is independent media really independent and can it challenge the mainstream media? Does social media have too much power? What is ‘Fake News’? Through these questions, and others, this module will examine the relationship between the media, culture, capitalism, political power and society.

The module aims to provide students with a comprehensive introduction to victimology, an important and increasingly relevant subject within the discipline of Criminology. The module will provide students with an overview of the development of victimology and its history, theoretical perspectives in victimology, the measurement of victimisation, victims in the media, the nature and impact of the victim experience including that of the criminal justice process, and the development of support services and victim policy. The module will consider key issues and debates within victimology and in relation to victims of particular types of crimes.

This module is to build on legislation, theoretical knowledge and practice working in adult social care. You will build on the concept of mixed economy of welfare environment (i.e. Statutory, Private and Voluntary organisations) exploring a range of services supporting vulnerable adults. You will evaluate aspects of working in social care when working with vulnerable adults (i.e. people with mental ill-health, learning disabilities, physical disabilities , ex offenders and homelessness) and employability skills needed for practice. The module will focus on and explore how organisations are structured, roles within adult services, working culture of the organisation and will include; independent living, residential care, care in the community and supported living

This module will discuss a comprehensive and contemporary range of issues that affect children in their personal lives and in the wider community. The position of youth and the challenges they face within the community will be explored using appropriate theories, methods and models.

Environmental Crime offers a critical exploration of environmental dangers through a criminological lens. It assesses the cultural and legal parameters of causing harm to the planet (Green Criminology) by considering what constitutes an environmental crime in contrasting contexts. The module focuses on a variety of forms of environmental crime, from fast fashions to the illegal trade and poaching of wildlife. The spatial and progressive dynamics of environmental factors are examined with reference to debates on black markets and cultural rituals. Collectively the lectures enable students to develop comprehensive knowledge and theoretical understanding of Green Criminology. The module explores environmental crime as a distinct criminological topic, whilst examining its relationship with criminology and criminal justice more broadly.

To introduce students to the history of the modern police force. To examine the relationship between police and society.

This module will introduce students to both qualitative and quantitative research methods in the social sciences. The distinction can be over-stated given as many research projects now use mixed methods, but a difference does exist and it is necessary to unpack it for heuristic purposes. The module will proceed through first outlining the background and key aspects of the qualitative and quantitative traditions, before providing case examples of field work using particular research techniques (surveys, semi structured interviews) within the two broad approaches.

This module will consider the key stages of interventions in social care, whether in terms of work with individuals, groups or communities. Practitioners in social care organisations - whether in statutory, private or voluntary sectors - work with different assessment frameworks and methods (including systemic social practice), designed to assess levels of need with a multidisciplinary approach. However, in some way, most will follow the progress of making an assessment and engaging with a service user through care planning processes and delivering appropriate needs led/person centred intervention. Students on completion of this module will be able to identify (1) the skills that are necessary to support these practices, and (2) how these practices can be needs led and /or person-centred.

This module will consider the key stages of interventions in social care, in terms of work with children. It will discuss practitioners in social care organisations - whether in statutory, private or voluntary sectors - working with different assessment frameworks and methods (including systemic social practice) and designed to assess levels of need using a multidisciplinary approach. However, in some ways, most will follow the progress of making an assessment and engaging with a service user through care planning processes and delivering appropriate needs led/child centred interventions. Students on completion of this module will be able to identify (1) the skills that are necessary to support these practices, and (2) how these practices can be needs led and /or child-centred.

This module provides opportunities for community-based learning through voluntary community engagement. This activity will enable you to understand the relevance of your studies within a community context, combining practical experience with academic studies. In addition, it is an opportunity to develop a critical understanding of the Third Sector, and the notion of citizenship. Both subject specific and transferable skills will be developed and utilised throughout this module, thus developing graduate employment attributes.

This module focuses on theoretical perspectives, practices, and the foundations of offender rehabilitation, desistance, and the process of change. It explores the precepts of rehabilitation of offenders, what works in offender management, and how the relevant theories and interventions inform these practices and the practitioners. Desistance is introduced as an associated to rehabilitation concept to particularly inform the understanding of the processes that aspire to ceasing offending behaviour (Weaver and McNeil, 2007). Central part of the above exploration is the supervision of offenders which invites exploration of key aspects and methods, such as Relationship building, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural techniques, and the Risk-Need-Responsivity and Good Lives models. The module appreciates that multi-agency working remains vital to the above processes and as such the enablers, barriers, and challenges around multi-agency work in rehabilitation are examined. It further incorporates consideration of the elements of diversity, inclusion, and discrimination in the rehabilitation context and how these affect the prospects of community reintegration (Thompson, 2012). The module also aims to integrate examination of the place and role of probation in the process of change due to its direct association with rehabilitation and desistance. The focus of this module enriches the scope of the CCJ curriculum and develop the knowledge from other modules, such as Criminal Justice, Punishment and Society, Prisons and Prisoners, and Theories of Crime. It further integrates the students' critical understanding of Probation and Offender Management and their role within the criminal justice journey. Quite crucially, this module may also assist graduates interested in joining the Probation Service and the relevant training programme (PQiP). The current HMPPS guidance provides that the period of the training programme is reduced from 21 to 15 months if the applicant's degree covered three out of the four listed topics, namely The Criminal Justice System, Understanding Crime and Criminal Behaviour, Penal Policy and the Punishment of Offenders, and Rehabilitation of Offenders, and they clarify that eligible applicants need to have studied modules on at least three of the four topics as part of a degree. As the fourth one in the above list is directly linked and covered in the present module, 6CJ015 provides a great benefit to the students concerned. Additionally, as a standalone module focussing on desistance and rehabilitation, 6CJ015 is very useful to those interested in mentoring or prison work too. It is also worth noting the timeliness of this module which is also telling of its necessity in CCJ curriculums. The part-privatised infrastructure of Probation Service in England and Wales is set to undergo a process of re-nationalisation in June 2021 which will renew and enhance the attention and interest in the service and offender management. The module's focus on rehabilitation, desistance, and supervision as well as direct links to employability makes it now an essential part of a CCJ programme more than ever.

This module builds on the level 5 module Working with Adults part 1 and offers an in depth exploration of issues around abuse, capacity and safeguarding with particular emphasis on older people. The module begins from the point of evaluating the current model of social care provision and examines its strengths and weaknesses. You will analyse the notions of choice and personalization of services alongside the gaps between health and social care delivery which may give rise to abuse. You will consider the roles of carers in this time of austerity and cuts to service provision and the potential implications of such.

To enable study in depth of certain contemporary issues in criminology. To allow critical evaluation of issues in criminology and to relate these to theory, policy and practice.

This module aims to examine how crime in modern society is prevented and controlled. To critically examine informal and formal methods of controlling crime. To address ways in which the broader behaviour and lifestyles of particular individuals and social groups are controlled through crime control.

The Criminology and Criminal Justice Project aims to provide Criminology and Criminal Justice students with the opportunity to research an area of criminological interest in some depth.

This module examines concepts and theories of serious and organised crime and evaluates its development, impact and initiatives taken to tackle it. Case study material will include drug smuggling, human trafficking, environmental crime and maritime piracy.        

This module will discuss a comprehensive and contemporary range of issues that affect young people in their personal lives and in the wider community. The position of youth and the challenges they face within the community will be explored using appropriate theories, methods and models.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the idea of young people as criminals, and the youth justice system they move through. Youth crime has been a persistent concern over the past century, with an increasing societal focus and concern on anti-social behaviour. This module will allow students to consider the emergence of ‘youth offending’ and consider whether current youth justice policy is working. The module will explore youth pathways into crime and the treatment of young people in the YJS. The welfare vs. justice debate will be explored and students will gain a critical appreciation of the theory and ideas underpinning youth justice policy and practice in England and Wales.