Module Information

Module Identifier
LC10320
Module Title
Crime Control and Prevention
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Pre-Requisite
Reading List
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Crime Control Plan  50% of the assessment mark for this module is based on a written assignment. For this assignment you will need to produce a ‘crime prevention plan’ to tackle the rural crime issue that you worked on in seminar 3 (the crime reduction and community safety workshop). This will be your own written work but will be based on your experience during, and preparation for, seminar 3, as well as additional reading and research. 750 Words  50%
Semester Exam 1.5 Hours   Exam  Candidates are not permitted to bring any books, notes or any other materials into the examination.  50%
Supplementary Assessment 750 word critical review of a journal article  Re-sit (Article to be assigned based on themes covered in seminars)  50%
Supplementary Exam 1.5 Hours   Exam  Candidates are not permitted to bring any books, notes or any other materials into the examination.  50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Display an understanding of the major theories, concepts, values, debates, principles, and approaches relating to crime control and prevention.

2. Identify the key issues, policies, processes, institutions, and actors involved in the control and prevention of crime.

3. Explain and analyse how the development and implementation of crime control and prevention policy is influenced by theory, evidence, media, public opinion and politics.

4. Understand the processes and problems relating to the formulation and implementation of crime prevention initiatives.

5. Critically analyse the effectiveness of crime control and prevention strategies and policies.

Brief description

In this module you will be exposed to a number of theoretical perspectives on social control in general and crime control and prevention in particular. Emphasis will be placed on how the criminal justice system and other agencies operate in order to enforce the law, maintain social order, tackle and prevent crime and protect the public.

Aims

This module aims to provide you with a understanding of the basic principles of crime control, and prevention. It will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to critically analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches to crime control and prevention. It will also equip you with an understanding of the problems and challenges of implementing crime reduction initiatives in modern democratic states. The module develops analytical and team work skills and will foster interdisciplinary methodologies.

Content

• Foundational concepts and theory of social control
• Formal and informal social control
• Punishment as a mode of social control
• Influence of social, economic, political and cultural factors on the development and delivery of criminal justice policies
• History of crime control & prevention in England and Wales from 1970 onwards
• History of policing in England and Wales
• Modern policing in England and Wales
• Police exercise of social control
• Community policing
• Criminological perspectives on crime prevention
• Crime reduction partnerships and muti-agency working
• Situational crime prevention
• Primary, secondary and tertiary preventions
• Civil and criminal orders and diversion and cautioning as a means of social control
• “What Works” in control and prevention
• Future of crime control and prevention – CCTV, AI, Facial recognition, Digital surveillance

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Adaptability and resilience Students will read selected texts and from these materials test their own learning by applying them to problems. This will permit them to take more control over their learning and to identify problems which they will be supported in managing.
Co-ordinating with others As well as individual work, the seminars and assessments will involve teamwork tasks allowing students to support each other in a supportive interactive learning environment. Group working and co-working skills will be developed through the Crime Reduction Plan assignment and other exercises in seminars.
Creative Problem Solving Students will be looking at political, legal, and practical resources and examining how these might be used to improve crime control. This will involve analysis of problems and how to solve them.
Critical and analytical thinking Students will be expected to locate both electronic and library-based materials and to use these materials for assignments and seminar preparations. They will be supported and encouraged to build individual research skills to perform these tasks effectively.
Digital capability Preparation for seminars, the assignments and the examination will all require use of the library databases and other electronic databases. Students will be referred to useful URLs and be encouraged to retrieve data electronically. Students will be encouraged to prepare their assignment electronically.
Professional communication Oral communication skills will be encouraged and developed in seminars, assessments and lectures. Written communication skills will be practiced through note taking both in lectures and private study and in formal submission of written work in assignments and examinations.
Real world sense Enhanced capacity for independent and critical thought. Good time-management skills in preparing for seminars and submitting work on time.
Subject Specific Skills Understanding and evaluating relevant quantitative research data will be an important part of the module

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 4