Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Individual podcast (Audio case study of a miscarriage of justice. 20 minutes) | 30% |
| Semester Assessment | Essay (4,000 words) | 70% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Individual podcast (Audio case study of a miscarriage of justice. 20 minutes) | 30% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay (4,000 words) | 70% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Identify and critically discuss the nature, forms and scale of miscarriages of justice;
2. Critically assess the causes of miscarriages of justice;
3. Critically evaluate and explain complex problems associated with attempts to address the causes of miscarriages of justice;
4. Possess a critical appreciation of the consequences of miscarriages of justice in a variety of settings and how they are responded to by formal and informal entities;
5. Utilise information technology for the purposes of scholarship including recording and publishing a podcast onto a VLE.
Brief description
Approaching the phenomenon of miscarriages of justice from a primarily criminological (including sociological and zemiological) perspective, the module problematises criminal justice in a variety of settings and introduces students to concepts that reside within this field. It encourages students’ independent thinking on a range of issues relating to miscarriages of justice such as their causes, consequences and remedies, and provides opportunities for them to develop sophisticated oral and written arguments concerning such issues. Students will be provided with opportunities to perform in-depth critical analyses of specific cases of miscarriages of justice, thereby developing an advanced level of understanding of how these cases came about and their effect on individuals, practitioners and society as a whole.
Content
Critical interpretations and understandings of the term 'miscarriage of justice'.
Key concepts and debates surrounding miscarriages of justice.
The scale of the 'miscarriage of justice' problem both nationally and internationally.
The causes of miscarriages of justice and critical explanations for these causes.
The complex consequences of miscarriages of justice for individuals and society.
Formal criminal justice responses to miscarriages of justice and a critical insight into their in/effectiveness.
Informal individual and collective responses to miscarriages of justice, such as campaigns.
N.B: Throughout the module, we critically analyse key cases of miscarriages of justice.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | |
| Communication | Students will be expected to present to a professional standard in their podcast. They will also be expected to fully engage with discussions and debates involved in workshops. Students will be expected to demonstrate advanced academic writing and referencing skills in their essay assignment. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students will need to demonstrate both of these qualities when engaging in debate and discussion within workshops and when working on the construction of their essay and podcast. |
| Information Technology | Students will need to demonstrate both of these qualities when engaging in debate and discussion within workshops and when working on the construction of their essay and podcast. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Students will be expected to maintain a reflective approach throughout this module in order to show the development in their own understanding of miscarriages of justice and issues relating to them. This can then be applied in their assignments and class discussions/debates. The module focuses on real world miscarriages of justice and their impacts on real people including those who suffer them and those who contribute to causing them. Students will learn that contrary to popular belief, miscarriages happen with phenomenal regularity in the real world and appreciate the role that contemporary society has to play in acknowledging and addressing the issues this raises. |
| Problem solving | Students will need to utilise creative problem-solving skills in respect of gathering information for their podcast and ensuring that they can condense this down into a clear and concise narrative for oral delivery via a recording. |
| Research skills | Throughout this module students will be required to be critical of research, policy and practice as well as proposals for reform. They will develop nuanced and advanced level analytical thinking as they consider key elements for both their essay and podcast. |
| Subject Specific Skills | |
| Team work | Workshop discussions for this module will require students to debate controversial issues within small groups. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7