PC0S012 - Serious and Violent Crime 01 Sep 2021 - 31 Aug 2027 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: PC0S012
Module Title: Serious and Violent Crime
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Policing and Criminology
Faculty Sub Group: Policing
Module Leader: Cheryl Allsop
Module Team: Janine Vickery, Hannah Seale, Rhian Newman, Helen Martin, James McCormack
First Intended Intake: SEP 2021 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 3
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100486 - policing
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2021
Valid To 31 Aug 2027

Module Aims

Introduce students to the causes and effects of violent, serious and organised crime.

Content Summary

Indicative Content:

This module explores the definitions, characteristics and behaviours of those engaged within serious, organised and violent crime. The module will have a particular focus on specific offences, whilst also exploring how these crimes impact on society, the economy and police investigations.

Serious and violent crime examples will include:

Robbery

Armed Robbery

Rape and other serious sexual offences

Homicide (murder and manslaughter)

The characteristics, causes and possibilities for reducing and preventing serious and organised crime.

Gang crime, including drug gangs, gang culture, turf wars, county lines.

Arson

Terrorism and radicalisation

Impact of Serious and Organised crimes:

Economic impact

Social impact

Health implications

Challenges and complexities involved in the investigation of serious and violent crime

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Practical classes and workshops 44
Independent Study 60
Directed Study 76
Formative Assessment - Independent 20
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Define serious and organised crime in the UK and establish examples and causes of such crimes.
LO2 Demonstrate comprehension and understanding of the impact of serious and organised crime upon society, victims, and police investigations.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Poster 1 A poster based upon a serious and organised crime topic without the need for the author's presence. 0 N/A 50 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Case study 1 Case study analysing a serious and violent crime case in the UK. 0 1500 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Poster 1
Case study 1

Reading List

Brett, A. (2004) “'Kindling Theory' in Arson: How Dangerous Are Firesetters?” The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 38:419-25

Brookman, F. (2005) Understanding homicide, SAGE Publications

Haggerty, K. (2009) ‘Modern serial killers’, Crime, Media and Culture, 5(2), pp.168–187

Holmes, S. T. and Holmes R. M. (2008) Sex Crimes: Patterns and Behaviour, Sage Publications

Stevens, A. (2011) Drugs, Crime and Public Health. Abingdon: Routledge.

Ward, T. and Beech, A. R. (2006) ‘An integrated theory of sexual offending’, Aggression and Violent Behaviour 11: 44–63