Youth, Crime and Criminal Justice

Overview

This module explores young people’s engagement in offending and responses to it. It considers the extent and nature of youth offending, how it changes with age and its association with other social contexts. Analysis of official statistics and self-report survey data will be placed within a broader understanding of the social construction of youth, drawing on political, media and other sources. The module will critically assess explanations of youth crime and desistance, including major theoretical explanations and developmental/life course perspectives. The second half of the module considers social responses to youth crime and the role of the youth justice system in particular. The various discourses which inform youth justice will be compared and the ways in which they have been applied will be critically analysed. Finally, the module will consider more recent shifts in thinking on youth justice, examining arguments related to minimum intervention, the minimum age of criminal responsibility and ‘positive youth justice’.

Learning Objectives

On completion of this module students will:
• Critically assess the extent and nature of young people’s antisocial and offending behaviour and experiences of victimisation.
• Critically evaluate key concepts and theoretical approaches that have developed to explain youth crime and desistance.
• Compare and analyse various models of youth justice and assess the ways in which they have been applied.
• Critically evaluate current youth justice policy and consider the potential for youth justice reform.

Skills

On completion of this module students will be able to:
• Develop research skills by identifying and retrieving appropriate sources of information in print and electronic format.
• Develop an ability to apply relevant theories to policy development.
• Communicate coherent arguments through the analysis of relevant literature, critical thinking and enhanced writing skills.
• Develop an ability to write in a clear, structured and critical manner for a variety of audiences and purposes.
• Development of oral presentation skills through contributions in lecture and tutorial debates.

Assessment

None