Social Science, Law and Crime

Overview

This unit aims to develop awareness of the major disciplines in the social sciences (criminological, psychological, sociological), and how these perspectives influence responses to crime in society. Students will examine perspective of various social sciences and consider the strengths and challenges these perspectives bring in terms of how we understand crime and our approaches to preventing criminal behaviour across policy, system, service, and individual levels. The unit will help students develop critical thinking about different ways of thinking about crime and be able to identify the impact of disciplinary perspectives on the effectiveness and outcome of societal responses to crime.

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

1. Identify key concepts from criminological, psychological, sociological, and legal perspectives on crime.
2. Describe the ways each discipline contributes to understanding crime and criminal behaviour.
3. Compare the strengths and limitations of different disciplinary approaches to crime and its prevention.
4. Analyse the challenges in integrating multiple perspectives when addressing crime at various levels (policy, service, individual).
5. Evaluate arguments regarding the causes and prevention of crime from different disciplinary viewpoints.
6. Critically assess how multiple perspectives can inform more effective crime prevention strategies and criminal justice practices.

Teaching methods

All applicable locations

Assessment

Content

The first half of the unit examines the differences between social science disciplines and law, and how each view criminal behaviour, its causes and potential responses. 

• What are Social Sciences?
• Social Sciences and perspectives on crime
• Social Sciences and Law
• Other influences on understanding crime
• Junk science, pseudo-science and law
• A critical analysis framework to inform crime prevention
   

The second half of the unit applies this critical framework to analyse the efficacy of current response to a series of criminal behaviours and legal issues, such as organised crime, fraud, stalking and mandatory sentencing laws.