Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
SP30071 Sociology of punishment |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Honours |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: EX100 |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must take SP10043 and take SP10044 and take SP20069 and (take SP20049 or take SP20050) |
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Aims:
* To introduce students to the key theoretical perspectives of the sociology of punishment; * To outline and analyse the changing social, cultural and political meanings of formal and informal modes of penalty and custodial social regulation. By the end of the unit, students will have: * Studied key texts relating to the justifications, explanations and theorization of punishment; * Examined the dominant formal and informal modes of penalty and punishment in contemporary Britain; * Investigated the links between wider social, cultural and political conditions and any specific penal policy initiative. Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, students should be able to: * Understand, critically assess and apply differing theoretical models of punishment; * Access a range of and critically evaluate the uses and limitations of sources of information relating to punishment in contemporary Britain; * Critically analyse the values and assumptions underpinning official penal policy. Skills: * To think creatively and analytically; * To communicate an argument; * To evaluate others' arguments and research; * To learn independently and be able to assess own learning needs (i.e. identify strengths and improve weaknesses in methods of learning and studying); * To critically evaluate and assess research and evidence as well as a variety of other information; * To gather information, data, research and literature from a number of different sources (i.e. library, web-based, archives etc.); * To select appropriate and relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge; * To analyse and evaluate innovative practices in students' relevant degree discipline; * To explore a variety of relationships and environments relevant to learning and practising within the context of the students' degree discipline; * To effectively and efficiently apply principles of sociological/social policy analysis within a variety of environments; * Study & Learning skills (note taking, avoiding plagiarism, using the library, gathering and using information, constructing a bibliography, referencing); * Inter-personal and communication skills; * Revision and Examination skills; * Time-management and administrative skills; * Presentation skills and verbal communication (i.e. seminar and tutorial contributions); * To lead others confidently and competently; * To solve problems in a variety of situations; * To prioritise workloads, and utilise long- and short-term planning skills. Content: Justifications for punishment, history of imprisonment, theories of imprisonment, prison populations, current issues in imprisonment, non custodial sentences, community punishment, capital punishment, studying prisons. |