Course summary

Criminology is concerned with what behaviour is defined as criminal and who has the power to define what constitutes crime. Criminology is commonly misconceived and confused with other subject areas like forensic science. Although criminology does, of course, explore crime, the focus is on the causes of crime and deviant behaviour, how this affects society and how the criminal justice system responds to this, rather than on crime scene analysis, forensics and criminal investigation. Criminology is a research-led degree and develops students into analytical and critical thinkers. It explores crime as a social construct, asking important questions such as: What are the individual and societal causes of crime and deviant behaviour? Who in society is more likely to commit a crime? Does offender rehabilitation work? Who is likely to become a victim of crime? Why are some dangerous behaviours criminal and other aren't? And how does media attention and reporting impact crime and deviance? Criminologists are also interested in how to prevent crime, the purpose and effectiveness of punishment and how the criminal justice system can better respond to crime when it does take place. This course uniquely combines criminology with counselling studies – two disciplines which are vital to the criminal justice system. Counselling has an important and expanding role in attending to the victims of crime, addressing some of the causes of offending, reducing re-offending, seeking restorative justice, and alleviating stress among criminal justice practitioners.