Unit 31: Criminology
Assignment Tasks And Scheme of Work Overview
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit, a learner should:
1 Understand competing criminological explanations of crime and how they are applied to the study of crime
2 Know about the contested nature of crime and be able to explain how the two main statistical measures can provide very different crime figures
3 Understand the arguments about crime control policies
4 Understand why the aims of state punishment may change over time.
Unit content
This what the students will learn during Unit 31, this contains information for P, M and D levels.
1 Understand how competing definitions of crime influence its measurement Definitions of crime: legal; normative Measurement of crime: Home Office official statistics; police discretion; reported and recorded crime; British Crime Survey data; self reporting of crime; hidden crime; discrepancy between the two measures; quantitative and qualitative evidence
2 Know the theoretical explanations of crime Criminological explanations of crime: positivist criminology, eg individual positivism (genetic and psychological explanations); emergence of realist explanations, eg left and right realism; influence of interactionism and labelling theories; conflict between determinism and voluntarism Crime prevention measures aimed at individual: zero tolerance; CCTV; ASBOs Crime prevention measures aimed at the community: ‘Broken windows’ theory, neighbourhood watch
3 Understand the role of the media in our perception of crime Media: Cohen’s moral panic explanation; media campaigns; labelling Influence on crime figures and fear of crime: research on fear of crime against risk of crime; media sources of information
4 Know how the aims of state penal policy relate to crime theories Review of penal policy: from early twentieth century deterrence to rehabilitation then reform and restorative justice; voluntarism; determinism; realism and linkage to theoretical perspectives
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Contents Page.
Page 2 – 3. Learning Outcomes and Unit Content
Page 4. Contents Page.
Page 5 . How to use these assignments
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 How to use the assignments.
In each assignment there are the same forms, below is guidance on how each form should be used.
1. Teachers Level Sheet (one for the whole unit) – this lists the requirements that each student needs to complete in order to pass that level, this is the gold standard of what a Pass, Merit and Distinction are. If students meet these even though they don’t complete all the tasks then they still pass. These are used as the objectives
2. Student Cover Sheet (one per assignment) – gives the student the information on the assignment and what the big picture is. The start date and target completion date need to be filled in before handing to students and this needs to be signed and dated by you when they complete the assignment. This needs to goon the front of each assignment.
3. Student tick list (one per assignment) – gives objectives (blue boxes) and lists the outcomes (in the tables) that the student needs to complete in order to meet each level. Care has been taken to ensure that if a student completes all the tasks then they will have met all the objectives. This also needs to be signed by you and the student for each level and submitted with the work. There is space at the bottom to show what the student needs to do to either complete the level or move onto the next one.
4. Lesson guidance (one per assignment) – lists the activities that should be completed in each lesson. This is guidance only. All students will have a paper copy of the big picture, objectives and the outcomes from the two sheets above but you may still want to display these to the whole class.
5. Resources (one per assignment) – any resources needed to complete the tasks, will be referred to in the lesson guidance.
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Teachers Level Sheet – Unit 5 Biological Molecules
Grading Criteria – The learning Objectives To achieve a pass grade the evidence To achieve a merit grade the To achieve a distinction grade the must show that the learner is able to: evidence must show that the learner evidence must show that the learner is able to: is able to: P1 describe competing definitions of M1 draw conclusions from their D1 explain how the difference crime analysis with consideration of how in crime figures relate to the the figures are produced reported/recorded crime figures and the definition of crime used by the agency P2 analyse the crime figures produced by Home Office official statistics and the British Crime Survey P3 describe theoretical explanations M2 explain the ways in which the D2 explain the challenge of realism of crime theoretical explanations have which replaced positivism as the influenced current political major criminological theory in the policies on crime control late 20th century P4 identify the influences that the theoretical explanations of crime have had on current crime control policies P5 describe how the media influence M3 report on factors which influence D3 outline the theoretical our understanding of crime fear of crime explanation of moral panics developed by S. Cohen and use it to illustrate a current crime problem
P6 explain the difference between the fear of crime and the actual risk of crime
P7 outline ways in which M4 explain how crime theories have D4 analyse the influence of criminological theory influenced influenced penal policy positivism and realism on penal penal policy over the last century policy over the last century
Student Cover Sheet.
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Criminology 31 – Assignment 1
Student Name Group
Level BTEC National Award and Certificate Course Title Applied Science Unit Title Criminology Assignment Number 1 (P1,P2,M1,D1) Topic or Theme How much crime exists in the UK? Big Picture
Is crime rate really down?
During this assignment you will look at how crime statistics are collected and how this can relate to different definitions and measures of crime
Scenario
The nature and extent of crime in the UK is always in the news. Politicians are now claiming the crime rates are down. You are employed by a newspaper and have been asked to investigate and write this story.
Your editor has provided you with some statistics from the BCS and HO that you will need to analyse and discuss.
Consider the different definitions of crime and investigate crime data and how the statistics are collected in order to report on the story. Good luck
Date issued Date Submitted
Signed by Signed by Student Teacher
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Assignment 2 Student Tick List
Pass
Discuss acts that can be seen as criminal or deviant. Complete criminology Worksheet 1
P1 Describe competing Describe the different definitions of crime in terms of definitions of crime (a) crime as a social construction
(b) crime as a product of religious authority
(c)Explained Legal definition in your newspaper of crime report how the BCS and HO collect crime statistics. (d) Normative definition of crime Analyse BCS and HO data provided on handout 1 and explain why some of these differences may occur
Discuss the crimes that do not appear in the crime P2 analyse the crime figures statistics produced by Home Office official statistics and the British Crime Survey
Teacher Comments for Improvement
Student Cover Sheet.
Merit
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Explained in your report the difference between qualitative and quantitative data. You must discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each type and identify which data set uses them
Explain in detail why data collected from HO and BCS are so M1 draw conclusions from their different. Explore analysis with consideration of how the figures are produced How data is collect
Type of data set (qualitative and quantitative)
D
D1 explain how the difference in crime figures relate to the reported/recorded crime figures and the definition of Distinction crime used by the agency
Explain how the different definitions of crime may affect the figures of BCS and HO
Explain how police discretion, number of police officers and new laws could affect the crime statistics
Explain why people may choose not to report crimes to the police
Teacher Comments for Improvement
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Criminology 32 – Assignment 1
Student Name Group
Big Level BTEC National Award and Certificate Course Title Applied Forensic Science Unit Title Unit31: Criminology Assignment Number 2 (P3,P4,M2,D2,) Topic or Theme Are criminal Born Criminals Picture
Are people born criminals?
Scenario
In the 1960s it was proposed that males with an extra Y chromosome were predisposed to violent criminal behaviour; later work found no support for this hypothesis. Recently, two approaches, one genetic, the other biochemical, have received widespread publicity. You are a leading criminologist and you have been asked to investigate these theories and to answer the question ‘are people born criminals or is it a result of social deprivation and subcultures’. Within your research you must decide whether criminal punishment should fit the crime, criminal or other
Date issued Date Submitted
Signed by Signed by Teacher Student
Assignment 2 Student Tick List
Pass
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Research and report on work of 6 theorists from different theoretical positions. At least 4 must be from the theoretical explanations bullet pointed below.
Classical
Positivist (genetic and psychological) P3 describe theoretical explanations of crime Realist – (Left and Right)
Identify 5 policies from different theoretical positions and state briefly how they have affect crime control policy
Define the following terms and explain how they have affected the penal policy
Voluntarism P4 identify the influences that the theoretical explanations of Determinism crime have had on current crime control policies
Teacher Comments for Improvement
Student Cover Sheet. Assignment 1 Student Tick List
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Merit
Explain how each theory has impacted on how crime is dealt with today. You should discuss
Right realisms recommendations for reducing crime (emergence of the broken windows theory, Zero tolerance and CCTV) Left realisms recommendations for reducing crime M2 explain the ways in which (policing, equality, neighbourhood watch) the theoretical explanations Positivists recommendations for reducing crime have influenced current (rehabilitation) political policies on crime control Distinction
Discuss how right realists attacked the positivist theory in order to discredit it and gain dominance and the challenges that this presents. You could discuss financial and political aspects
D2 explain the challenge of realism which replaced positivism as the major criminological theory in the late 20th century Teacher Comments for Improvement
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Student Cover Sheet.
Criminology – Assignment 3
Student Name Group
Level BTEC National Award and Certificate Big Course Title Applied Science Unit Title Fear of Crime Assignment Number 3 (P5,P6,M3,D3) Topic or Theme How the media influences fear of crime Picture
In this section you will be looking at how the media portray crime and the influence it has over public perception
Scenario
All media survive by making profits, so when you look at the media you will tend to see more reporting of negative impacts than positive events which some scientists believe create fear of crime. The Government are concerned that the media are creating a negative effect on attitudes, values and behaviour towards crime. You are a top government official and must research and report on fear of crime to include factors that contribute to fear of crime as well as the publics actual risk of being victim to a crime
Date issued Date Submitted
Signed by Signed by Teacher Student
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Assignment 2 Student Tick List
Pass
M3 report on factors which Find two newspaper articles covering crime and describe influence fear of crime how they make the story interesting. P5 describe how the media Describe how the stories may influence the way readers influence our understanding view and fear crime of crime CarryResearch out aand survey describe of your how local the areamedia into get fear information of crime and howabout the crime media in yourmay localinfluence area people’s perceptions of crime. Analyse the results of your survey and compare these to the actual risk of being a victim of a crime. You will need to use stats and figures here Suggest why peoples fear of crime and the actual risk to them being a victim of a crime may be different
D3 outline the theoretical explanation of moral panics P6developed explain theby S. difference Cohen and Teacherbetweenuse itComments to illustrate the fear for ofa Improvementcurrent crime andcrime the problem actual risk of crime
Produce a documentary to Define what a moral panic is Explain the contributing factors to moral panic
Read and summarise Stanley Cohen’s study, folk Devils and Moral Panics Identify a current or recent example of a folk devil covered Assignment Student Tick List in the media. Look for examples of the three elements Cohen describes
exaggeration and distortion, Explain the factors that can lead to fear of crime. In particular prediction, look at and summarise studies carried out by Gerbner et al Schlesingersymbolization and Tumber (1992) Richard Sparks (1992)
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School IsExplain there howany evidence media sources, to suggest victimization, that members psychological of the 5 publicbehaviour do actually may lead panic to fear about of crimethe folk devil you have investigated
Level BTEC National Award and Certificate Course Title Applied Science Unit Title Criminology Teacher Comments for Improvement Assignment Number 4 (P7,M4,D4) Topic or Theme
Student Cover Sheet.
Criminology – Assignment 4
Student Name Group
Big Picture
Do we handle criminals appropriately in the UK?
Scenario
The judicional system is up for review in 2010. What are your opinions on the way we handle criminal in the UK and the way crime is perceived. Do you think changes should be made to the judicional system? In order to answer this question you must review how the penal policy has changed over time and submit your findings to the government who will use your finding to review how we handle criminals
Date issued Date Submitted
Signed by Signed by Teacher Student
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Assignment 2 Student Tick List
Pass
Defined what the penal policy is P7 outline ways in which criminological Outline the different aims of penal policy over the last theory influenced penal policy over the century. This should be done as a timeline that outlines last century Researchhow different and explaincriminological on your theories timeline have the workinfluenced a the J.Benthampenal policy. in the determinist Theory
Explain how different views on the causes of crime have influenced decisions on what penal approach is used. You should discuss voluntarism and determinism Explain the following changes to the penal policy Prison as a deterrent and punishment Prison as rehabilitation M4 explain how crime theories have Prison as incapacitation influenced penal policy Merit
Distinction
Positivism is based on determinism theories. Outline the main points of this theory. Explain how this has affected the penal policy. D4 analyse the influence of positivism Realism is based on voluntarism theories. Outline the main point of this theory. and realism on penal policy over the last Explain how this has affected the penal policy century Discuss Restorative Justice giving examples of how alternative sanctions may be used
Teacher Comments for Improvement
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 Learning Outcomes Lesson Activities Homework You should be able to:
P1 describe competing definitions of Introduction to unit crime 1 Assignment 1
14/09/11 Class discussion – what does crime mean to you?
Definitions of crime, deviance and legal
P1 describe competing definitions of Research 2 – 3 crime – how definitions of crime differ internationally, 19/09/11 religiously, socially and politically. Specific look at social construct (P1)
P2 analyse the crime figures produced by Home Office official statistics and the British Crime Survey Analysis of data from the BCS and HO – Explanation of why difference may occur M1 draw conclusions from their 4 analysis with consideration of how We will look at how Data relating to crimes is collected by the figures are produced BCS 22/09/11 D1 explain how the difference in HO crime figures relate to the reported/recorded crime figures and Analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the the definition of crime used by the statistics agency
P2 analyse the crime figures produced Write up – complete assignment scenario by Home Office official statistics and the British Crime Survey
5 -8 M1 draw conclusions from their analysis with consideration of how 28/09/11 the figures are produced
03/09/11 D1 explain how the difference in crime figures relate to the reported/recorded crime figures and the definition of crime used by the agency
9-11 P3 describe theoretical explanations of Why do criminal commit crimes? crime 6/10/11 Research different theorists M2 explain the ways in which the theoretical explanations have Positivist 10/10/11 influenced current political policies on crime control Realist
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 D2 explain the challenge of realism which replaced positivism as the major Marxists criminological theory in the late 20th century P4 identify the influences that the How does Saltash.net reduce crime theoretical explanations of crime have had on current crime control A look into policies to reduce crime. Links to Broken 12 policies windows theory, CCTV
12/10/11 M2 explain the ways in which the theoretical explanations have influenced current political policies on crime control
13-14 D2 explain the challenge of realism Completion of Assignment using assessment criteria which replaced positivism as the 17/10/11 major criminological theory in the late 20th century 20/10/11
15 - 17 P5 describe how the media influence Assignment 3 – Fear of Crime Produce a survey to our understanding of crime determine factors 2/11/11 How does the media influence Crime that influence the M3 report on factors which influence publics perceptions 7/11/11 fear of crime of criminal activity and fear of crime. Analyse the results
D3 outline the theoretical explanation Moral panics – What are they 18 of moral panics developed by S. Cohen and use it to illustrate a A look into Cohen book 10/11/11 current crime problem
Completion of assignment 19 – 22
16/11/11
21/11/11
23 Relating the aims of penal policy to crime theorists A look at how the penal policy has changed from 18th 24/11/11 century to modern day.
What has caused these changes
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5 24 A closer look at rehabilitation, incapitation and restorative justice 30/11/11 Research
25-26
5/11/11
1 OR – Saltash.net Community School 5