• Home
• Study
• Study Information
• Modules
• Module Information

Crime Prevention and Control within Contemporary Society

Module description

This is a unique module which will explore areas of contemporary criminological debate and policy around community safety and crime prevention, ranging from reducing burglaries in local neighbourhoods to preventing radicalisation of individuals from terrorist activity. You will consider issues such as crime displacement, evaluate the use of technology in facial recognition to crime mapping, all while debating the causal patterns of crime and deviance behaviour. Through your assessments you will be provided a unique opportunity to be a criminal justice professional utilising the content and material you have developed over the course of the module and your degree to apply crime prevention techniques and theories to a real world problem.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide students with an introduction to contemporary debates, techniques and developments in crime prevention and control within the United Kingdom. The module will also aim to give students first hand problem solving experience in developing and applying crime prevention theories and techniques to a real world problem. In doing so they will have the opportunity to explore contemporary issues and debates around the causes of crime, evidence based research and the impact of crime prevention and control policies upon society. You will also develop your practical employability skills, including your oral, written and presentation skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate knowledge and critical application of theories and techniques of crime prevention
• 2. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of crime prevention methods and data

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. To critically reflect upon, apply and engage with sociological, criminological and empirical findings
• 4. Demonstrate understanding and critical evaluation of theories and arguments within criminology

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Argue rationally, concisely, in a logically structured way to communication information and ideas in written and oral forms.
• 6. Work independently to apply crime prevention techniques to a real life crime problem
• 7. Engage in group work to prepare presentations for class discussion

Syllabus plan

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

• Basia Spalek (2011) ‘New Terrorism’ and Crime Prevention Initiatives Involving Muslim Young People in the UK: Research and Policy Contexts, Religion, State and Society, 39:2-3, 191-207, DOI: 10.1080/09637494.2011.577202
• Armitage, R (2017) Burglars’ take on crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED): reconsidering the relevance from an offender perspective. Secur J 31:285-304
• Chiu et al., (2020) Situational Crime Prevention in Sexual Offenses Against Women: Offenders Tell Us what Works and What Doesn’t. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 1-22.
• May. T. (1991). Probation: Policy, Politics and Practice. Milton Keynes, UK: Open University Press.
• Piza et al (2019). CCTV surveillance for crime prevention. A 40 year systematic review with meta-analysis. Criminology and Public Policy, 18: 135-159.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE – vle.exeter.ac.uk/