Head of Department
Mrs G Glover
Subject Overview
At Cornwallis Academy the Vocational Department provides access to all subjects and an insight into how they operate. We are an energetic and ambitious team, who seek to provide lessons that enthuse our students and help to develop the skills they need to support future aspirations. Subjects will be supported by visits and speakers where course appropriate and where topics are not covered but felt important to give a more rounded insight into the qualification being studied.
Key Stage 5
WJEC Applied Diploma in Criminology
Examining Body
WJEC
Overview of the course:
Criminology is a 2-year qualification, where you will understand the different types of crime and why people turn to criminal activities. You will learn about the theories behind crime and the process from a crime being committed to a person being convicted along with the personnel who are involved throughout.
What Will You Study:
The course is made up of 4 Mandatory Units which incorporate Controlled Assessments and External Examinations.
In Year 12 you will study:
- Unit 1 Changing Awareness of Crime
- Unit 2 Criminological Theories
In Year 13 you will study:
- Unit 3 Crime Scene to Courtroom
- Unit 4 Crime and Punishment
Assessment:
Units of work will be assessed through external examination and internally taught units with externally set controlled assessments which are internally assessed and externally moderated.
Units 1 and 3 are Controlled Assessments
Units 2 and 4 are External Examinations
Possible Career Paths
This qualification allows students to gain valuable skills including group work, independent working, writing to persuade, and debating. It is a good subject for students who are interested in careers in: uniformed services, education, the police, justice system, paralegals and law, as it allows students the opportunity to gain an understanding of these roles within society. It allows progression for higher Education and a variety of Degrees.
During Year 12 students will study the Certificate in Financial Studies and focus on:
- Unit 1 – Changing Awareness of Crime
- Unit 2 – Criminological Theories
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 1 Unit 1 – Changing Awareness of Crime  Types of crime white collar (organised, corporate, professional) moral state (human rights) technological (e-crime) individual (hate crime, honour crime, domestic abuse)  Reasons • personal, (e.g. fear, shame, disinterest, not affected, • social and cultural, (e.g. lack of knowledge, complexity, lack of media interest, lack of current public concern, culture bound crime (e.g. honour killing, witchcraft)  Consequences • ripple effect • cultural • decriminalisation • police prioritisation • unrecorded crime • cultural change • legal change • procedural change  Media • newspaper • television • film • electronic gaming • social media (blogs, social networking) • music  Impact • moral panic • changing public concerns and attitudes • perceptions of crime trends • stereotyping of criminals • levels of response to crime and types of punishment • changing priorities and emphasis  Evaluation criteria • reliability • validity • ethics of research • strengths and limitations • purpose of research Information about crime • Home Office statistics • crime survey for England and Wales  |
| Useful Websites | Crime Statistics for England and Wales www.crimestatistics.org.uk Crime Survey for England and Wales http://www.crimesurvey.co.uk BBC News story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6224245.stm Glasgow Media Group http://www.glasgowmediagroup.org |
| Assessment | Students will be assessed by an 8 hour controlled assessment that will take place during the PPE series in Term 2. Students will be given structured sections of work and assessed on their understanding of the unit content |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 2 Unit 1 –Changing Awareness of Crime  Campaigns for change, e.g. • change in policy • change in law • change in priorities of agencies • change in funding • change in awareness • change in attitude  Media • blogs • viral messaging • social networking • advertising • radio • television • film • documentary • word of mouth • events • print  Plan • aims and objectives • justification of choice of campaign • target audience • methods to be used • materials to be used • finances • timescales • resources needed  Design • structure of information • use of images or other accentuating features to capture attention • use of persuasive language • promotion of action • consideration of target audience • alignment with campaign  Justify • presentation of a case for action • use of evidence in support of a case • use of persuasive language |
| Useful Websites | Crime Statistics for England and Wales www.crimestatistics.org.uk Crime Survey for England and Wales http://www.crimesurvey.co.uk BBC News story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6224245.stm Glasgow Media Group http://www.glasgowmediagroup.org |
| Assessment | Students will be assessed by an 8 hour controlled assessment during the PPE series. This will be broken down into 3 sessions |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 3 Unit 2 – Criminological Theories  Criminal behaviour • social definition • legal definition • formal sanctions against criminals • variety of criminal acts Deviance • norms, moral codes and values • informal and formal sanctions against deviance • forms of deviance  Social construction • how laws change from culture to culture • how laws change over time • how laws are applied differently according to circumstances in which actions occur • why laws are different according to place, time and culture  Biological theories • genetic theories • physiological theories  Individualistic theories • learning theories • psychodynamic • psychological theories  |
| Useful Websites | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU-nWtmXnKE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-UBjL1zlgM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3LGxbxGhbg&feature=related Criminological Theory (Florida State University) www.criminology.fsu.edu Psychology of crime http://www.holah.karoo.net/alevel/crime.htm Blogs |
| Assessment | Student will be assessed by an exam in May. Students will have regular exam questions and sit a PPE in Term 4. |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 4  Unit 2 – Criminological Theories  Sociological theories • social structure • interactionism • realism  Situations relating to: • different types of crime • individual criminal behaviour  Criminological theories • individualistic • biological • sociological  Criminological theories • individualistic • biological • sociological Policy development • informal policy making • formal policy making — crime control policies — state punishment policies  Social changes • social values, norms and mores • public perception of crime • structure of society –demographic changes • cultural changes  Campaigns • newspaper campaigns • individual campaigns • pressure group campaigns |
| Useful Websites | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU-nWtmXnKE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-UBjL1zlgM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3LGxbxGhbg&feature=related Criminological Theory (Florida State University) www.criminology.fsu.edu Psychology of crime http://www.holah.karoo.net/alevel/crime.htm Blogs and |
| Assessment | Student will be assessed by an exam in May. Students will have regular exam questions and sit a PPE in Term 4. |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 5 Examination for Unit 2 – Criminological Theories  Exam preparation using all of the content learned in Term 3 and Term 4   |
| Useful Websites | http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk |
| Assessment | Students will be doing exam preparation, exam questions and past papers for the exam in May. |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 6 Unit 3 – Crime Scene to Courtroom  Students will then continue revision and examination practice as all students are entered into the re-sit of these exams  Personnel • crime scene investigators • forensic specialists • forensic scientists • police officers/detectives • Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) • pathologist • other investigative agencies, e.g. Serious and Organised Crime Agency, HM Revenue & Customs  Techniques • forensic • surveillance techniques • profiling techniques • use of intelligence databases, e.g. National DNA Database • interview — eye witnesses — other witnesses, e.g. experts • observation, etc.  Criminal investigations • situations (crime scene, laboratory, police station, ‘street’) • types of crime (violent crime, e-crime, property crime)   |
| Useful Websites | http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk |
| Assessment | Students will be assessed on their written preparation and folder work this term as will not formally be assessed until the 2nd year of the qualification |
During Year 13 students will study the Certificate in Financial Studies and focus on:
- Unit 1 – Crime Scene to Courtroom
- Unit 2 – Crime and Punishment
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 1 Unit 3 –Crime Scene to Courtroom  Re-cap of topics studied in Year 1  Personnel • crime scene investigators • forensic specialists • forensic scientists • police officers/detectives • Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) • pathologist • other investigative agencies, e.g. Serious and Organised Crime Agency, HM Revenue & Customs  Techniques • forensic • surveillance techniques • profiling techniques • use of intelligence databases, e.g. National DNA Database • interview — eye witnesses — other witnesses, e.g. experts • observation, etc.  Criminal investigations • situations (crime scene, laboratory, police station, ‘street’) • types of crime (violent crime, e-crime, property crime)  Requirements • charging role – Criminal Justice Act 2003 • Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 • Full Code Test  Processes • pre-trial • bail • roles • plea bargaining • courts • appeals  Rules of evidence • relevance and admissibility • disclosure of evidence • hearsay rule and exceptions • legislation and case law  |
| Useful Websites | http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk |
| Assessment | Students will be assessed by an 8 hour controlled assessment that will take place during the PPE series in Term 2. Students will be given structured sections of work and assessed on their understanding of the unit content |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 2 Unit 3 –Crime Scene to Courtroom  Influences • evidence • media • witnesses • experts • politics • judiciary • barristers and legal teams  Laypeople • juries • magistrates  Examine for • bias • opinion • circumstances • currency • accuracy  Information • evidence • trial transcripts • media reports • judgements • Law Reports  Conclusions • just verdicts • miscarriage • safe verdict • just sentencing   |
| Useful Websites | http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk |
| Assessment | Students will be assessed by an 8 hour controlled assessment during the PPE series. This will be broken down into 3 sessions |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 3 Unit 4 – Crime and Punishment  Processes • government processes • judicial processes  Criminal justice system • police • law creation • courts • formal punishment • relationships  Models of criminal justice • due process • crime control  Forms of social control • internal forms (rational ideology, tradition, internalisation of social rules and morality) • external forms (coercion, fear of punishment) • control theory (reasons for abiding by the law)  Aims of punishment • retribution • rehabilitation • deterrence (prevention of reoffending, deterrence of others from committing) similar crimes • public protection • reparation  Forms of punishment • imprisonment • community • financial • discharge  Role • aims and objectives • funding • philosophy • working practices (types of criminality, types of offenders, reach (local, national))   |
| Useful Websites | http://www.antisocialbehaviour.org.uk/newsworthy/2006/respect_agenda.php  Anti-Social Behaviour www.civitas.org.uk  The Institute for the Study of Civil Society |
| Assessment | Student will be assessed by an exam in May. Students will have regular exam questions and sit a PPE in Term 4. |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 4  Unit 4 – Crime and Punishment  Contribution • tactics and measures used by agencies (environmental) ▪ design ▪ gated lanes (behavioural) ▪ ASBO ▪ token economy (institutional, disciplinary procedures) ▪ rule making ▪ staged/phased • gaps in state provision  Limitations • repeat offenders/recidivism • civil liberties and legal barriers • access to resources and support • finance • local and national policies • environment • crime committed by those with moral Imperatives  Agencies • government-sponsored agencies (police, CPS, judiciary, prisons, probation) • charities • pressure groups  |
| Useful Websites | http://www.antisocialbehaviour.org.uk/newsworthy/2006/respect_agenda.php Anti-Social Behaviour www.civitas.org.uk  The Institute for the Study of Civil Society |
| Assessment | Student will be assessed by an exam in May. Students will have regular exam questions and sit a PPE in Term 4. |
| Topic/Tasks | This is the overview of the topics in Term 5 Examination for Unit 4 – Crime and Punishment  Exam preparation using all of the content learned in Term 3 and Term 4   |
| Useful Websites | http://www.antisocialbehaviour.org.uk/newsworthy/2006/respect_agenda.php Anti-Social Behaviour www.civitas.org.uk  The Institute for the Study of Civil Society |
| Assessment | Students will be doing exam preparation, exam questions and past papers for the exam in May. |
