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SP22064: Youth justice

[Page last updated: 09 August 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Credits: 5 [equivalent to 10 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 100
Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: EXOB 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Exam (EXOB 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, students should be able to:
  • Critically evaluate the historical evolution of the youth justice system, demonstrating an awareness of relevant themes covered in the module (including childhood, punishment, the welfare of the child and children's rights).
  • Analyse and assess the relevance of social, cultural, political and economic factors upon the direction of youth justice policy.
  • Analyse and assess the participation of young people in crime, including an evaluation of relevant predictive factors where appropriate.
  • Critically evaluate the legal and criminal justice response to children in conflict with the law.



Synopsis: "Develop an understanding of criminal justice responses to children in conflict with the law in England and Wales. You will examine trends in youth crime and youth justice policy and evaluate the range of possible responses to youth crime. You will also explore conceptions of juvenile delinquents as children in trouble or children in need and how these relate to youth justice policy and the nature of the criminal justice response."

Content: This unit will focus on the criminal justice response to children in conflict with the law in England and Wales. The prevalence and nature of youth crime has been a persistent concern of at least the last two hundred years and regularly captures the attention of media and political debate. More recent concerns have centred upon the prevalence of gang violence, knife crime, online crime and anti-social behaviour. This unit will examine trends in youth crime and youth justice policy as well as evaluating the range of possible responses to youth crime. It will explore, for example, how the tension between conceptualising juvenile delinquents as 'children in trouble' or 'children in need' stimulates or inspires youth justice policy and the nature of the criminal justice response. Although the unit will focus primarily on the youth justice system in England and Wales, reference will be made to comparative examples as and when appropriate.

Course availability:

SP22064 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB30 : BSc(Hons) Criminology (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB30 : BSc(Hons) Criminology with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB37 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB37 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences with professional placement (Year 2)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.