Police and Policing
Module title | Police and Policing |
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Module code | SOC2101 |
Academic year | 2024/5 |
Credits | 15 |
Module staff | Professor Abi Dymond (Convenor) |
Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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Duration: Weeks | 11 |
Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
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Module description
This module will introduce you to some of the key sociological and interdisciplinary concepts, critical issues and perennial debates in the study of the police, with a particular focus on policing in England and Wales. We will use a mixture of contemporary case studies, topical issues and insights from a range of disciplines, including sociology, law and criminology, to examine key concepts, including the role of the police, police discretion, the use of force, police accountability and plural policing. Whilst the focus is predominantly on England and Wales, literature and case studies will be drawn from a range of countries, to allow you to put policing practices into an international context.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module offers you an opportunity to engage with the key issues, concepts and contemporary debates around the police and policing – a far-reaching and highly controversial area of study. The module also aims to provide you with an insight into the methods commonly used to research this topic, and their strengths, weaknesses and ethical implications. The focus is predominantly on English and Welsh policing, and you will benefit from an enhanced understanding of the institutional arrangements, policies and practices used in the jurisdiction. However material will also be drawn from a range of countries, to allow you to put policing practices into an international context.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in sociological debates around policing.
- 2. Analyse practical issues and contemporary debates of relevance to policing in England and Wales
- 3. Analyse the literature around police and policing, and their implications
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Demonstrate an understanding of key sociological concepts in policing - and a capacity to apply them to specific topics and questions.
- 5. Assess literature used in the social sciences.
- 6. Use relevant literature to contribute to contemporary issues and debates in criminology.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Present a clear, evidence-based argument both verbally and in writing.
- 8. Conduct guided independent study in order to research a specific topic / question.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- The evolution of the police in England and Wales, and the structures and governance mechanisms currently in place.
- The nature and function of the police.
- The difference between ‘police’ and ‘policing’.
- The main theories of policing, their strengths, weaknesses and differences.
- The main techniques used to research the police, their strengths and weaknesses and the role that academic analysis can, and should, play in policing.
- Different approaches and tactics used in UK policing and internationally.
- Police use of force, and less lethal weapons.
- Police use of discretion.
- Police (sub)culture(s)
- Accountability in modern day policing, and its interaction with police legitimacy.
- Changes to, and in, policing, including the notion of plural policing.
- Police misconduct and corruption
- The physiological impact of policing
- Policing and its impacts
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
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22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
Category | Hours of study time | Description |
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Scheduled learning and teaching activity | 22 | 2 hour weekly lecture/seminar (or 1 hour lecture + 1 hour seminar) |
Guided independent study | 50 | Preparation of essay |
Guided independent study | 50 | Preparation of analysis based on seminar activity |
Guided Independent study | 28 | Preparation for seminars and lectures |
Formative assessment
Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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Timed exam / essay | 25 minutes (equivalent to approximately 400 words). | 1-8 | Feedback from peers, supported by tutor; and feedback from tutor. |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
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100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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Analysis based on seminar activity | 50 | 1,300 words | 1-8 | Written |
Essay | 50 | 1,300 words | 18 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
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Analysis based on seminar activity | Analysis based on seminar activity (1,300 words) | 1-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
Essay | Essay (1,300 words) | 1-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
• Buttle, J (2007) ‘A Constructive Critique of the Officer Safety Programme Used in England and Wales’ Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy 17 (2): 164 – 181.
• Paoline, E (2004) ‘Shedding light on Police Culture: An Examination of Officer’s Occupational Attitudes Police Quarterly 7 (2): 205 – 236.
• Reisig, M and Kane, R (2014) The Oxford Handbook of Police and Policing Oxford University Press; Oxford (in particular Parts 2 and 3).
Credit value | 15 |
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Module ECTS | 7.5 |
Module pre-requisites | None |
Module co-requisites | None |
NQF level (module) | 5 |
Available as distance learning? | No |
Origin date | 18/02/2016 |
Last revision date | 20/02/2024 |