CM2S044 - The Politics of Policing 01 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 3
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | CM2S044 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | The Politics of Policing | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Life Sciences and Education | ||
| Faculty Group: | Policing and Criminology | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Criminology | ||
| Module Leader: | Sophie Chambers | ||
| Module Team: | Daniel Welch, Helen Martin | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2022 | Final Year of Intake: | 2027 |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 20 | Credit Level: | 5 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | |||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | |||
Document Version Information
| Version | 3 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2022 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2028 |
Module Aims
To critically discuss the social and historical development of policing in Britain.
To consider policing as a form of social control, using contemporary examples.
Content Summary
The module considers ‘policing’ from a range of interpretative lenses, including the legal, sociological, criminological and political. The module considers the historical development of policing in Britain, and the theoretical perspectives that have been subsequently placed on this development. In doing so, the orthodox and revisionist accounts will provide the context for an outline of the structure and operation of the modern police.
Policing as an action of social control is considered, including the perceived rise of ‘plural policing’ involving local authority partnerships and private companies, as well as the policing of several types of crime/harm, viewed as a method of social control.
The module considers managerial and populist influences on policing, and acknowledges that policing itself is a political act, being one that is at the start of potentially removing a person’s civil liberties. Therefore, the impact of styles such as zero tolerance policing, community policing and problem-oriented policing is critically examined. The policing of protests and civil disorder is also pertinent to this theme, as is the Hillsborough disaster, and the policing of a diverse society.
The socialisation of the police is also examined, debating the benefits of ‘cop culture’, as well as the problems. Assessing such problems warrants discussion on miscarriages of justice, police corruption and the use of force.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Practical classes and workshops | 36 |
| Independent Study | 80 |
| Directed Study | 44 |
| Problem / challenge based learning | 40 |
| Total Hours Selected | 200 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | An understanding of the social and historical development of policing in Britain, and the current structure of police work and relevant influences. |
| LO2 | An understanding of policing as a form of social control, using contemporary examples. |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous Assessment | Critique 1 | Students will choose a piece of mass media (for example a news broadcast, newspaper article, blog, podcast, or documentary) related to a police issue(s), and will apply their criminological knowledge from this module to interpret and explain the piece of media. | 0 | 1500 | 70 | No | 40 |
| Synchronous Online Assessment | Classroom Test - Time Constrained (Online) 1 | An online multiple- choice test. | 45 | N/A | 30 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Critique 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Classroom Test - Time Constrained (Online) 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |