Course summary

From drugs to gangs to knife-crime, youth offending often makes the headlines — but are you getting the full story? Youth justice is a specialist strand of criminology, and this degree asks the questions that populist politics and the mainstream media don’t. How do you feel about the UK’s age of criminal responsibility being 10 — the youngest in Europe? When might a child reasonably understand the consequences of their actions? What role do family and community play in a young person’s development — and why can a life of crime sometimes feel like their only option? We deal in reality, not soundbites and sensationalism; together, we’ll explore the psychological, social, and political factors that have shaped the past, present, and future of juvenile justice worldwide. Learn from experts with personal and professional experience of the youth justice system; uncover the deeper truths behind the lives of at-risk juveniles; examine your own prejudices and preconceptions in a whole new light. It’s time to ask bigger, better questions — it’s time to be the difference that young people need. Why choose this course?

• Explore the field from every angle — meet with guest-speaker practitioners and service-users.

• Our smaller-than-average classes provide a friendly, flexible, more personalised learning experience.

• Test your skills in the real world of the youth justice system, with a four-week industry placement.

• Our course is mapped to the Youth Justice Boards Skills Matrix for Youth Justice.