CM3S054 - Rehabilitation and Criminal Justice: Theory and Practice 02 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: CM3S054
Module Title: Rehabilitation and Criminal Justice: Theory and Practice
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Policing and Criminology
Faculty Sub Group: Post Compulsory Education
Module Leader: Rachel Brown, Daniel Welch
Module Team:
First Intended Intake: SEP 2022 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes:
HECOS Code Weighting:

Document Version Information

Version 2
Valid From 02 Sep 2022
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

To consider critically theories and definitions of rehabilitation in relation to young people and adults who have committed offences.

To consider critically the ways in which rehabilitation has been applied to practice within the criminal justice system, with a focus on probation and youth. justice

To consider critically research and debates around effectiveness and ‘what works?’ in rehabilitation, including the history of such debates.

To consider critically the emerging research around promoting desistance from crime and how this differs from and offers challenges to traditional ideas of rehabilitation.

Content Summary

This module critically engages students with the theories of rehabilitation, desistance from crime and personal change that are relevant to the criminal justice system. It covers the history of the application of these various theories within the adult probation and youth justice systems. It will enable students to develop a critical understanding of the various meanings attached to ‘rehabilitation’ and ‘desistance’ and their application within practice. Furthermore, it will consider the research into the effectiveness of these approaches and their contested nature. It is likely to be of interest to students interested in working with adult and young offenders in the community.

The module includes Definitions of rehabilitation Definitions of desistance Punishment
Restorative Justice

The role of probation, offender management and youth justice in promoting change

The role of the voluntary sector and other statutory agencies in promoting change

Effectiveness research

Nothing Works

What Works

The new penality and emergence of risk The risk factor prevention paradigm

The emergence of desistance

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 12
Practical classes and workshops 24
External visits 24
Independent Study 50
Directed Study 50
Problem / challenge based learning 40
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Develop a deep level of knowledge about the theories of rehabilitation, personal change and desistance, including restorative justice and punishment and understand and analyse critically the research evidence in respect to these competing theories
LO2 Understand and analyse critically the main ideas, themes and discourses that underpin these theories and understand the competing nature of these in relation to young people and adults

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) 1 An oral presentation to peers and module leader demonstrating knowledge of a rehabilitative theory 10 N/A 30 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Essay 1 Students choose to demonstrate their achievement of the learning outcomes through the discussion of the theory of rehabilitation in an essay. 0 2500 70 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) 1
Essay 1

Reading List

Chadwick N., Dewolf, A. and Serin, R. (2015) ‘Effectively training community supervision officers: A meta-analytic review of the impact on offender outcome’. Criminal ustice and Behavior. 42(10): 977–989

Haines, K. & Case, S. (2015) Positive Youth Justice: children first, offenders second. Bristol: Policy Press.

King, S. (2013). Assisted desistance and experiences of probation supervision, Probation Journal, 60(2), 136–151.

Maruna, S., Coyle, B. and Marsh, B. (2015) 'Desistance from crime in the transition to adulthood', Youth Crime and Justice. 2nd edn. London: Sage.

Raynor, P. (2018) From ‘nothing works’ to ‘post-truth’: The rise and fall of evidence in British Probation, European Journal of Probation, 10(1) 59 – 75

Raynor, P., Ugwudike, P. & Vanstone, M. (2013) ‘The impact of skills in probation work: a reconviction study’, Criminology & Criminal Justice, 14(2) 235 – 249