This module will enable students to critically develop their existing knowledge and understanding of current – and former – representations of crime and criminal justice. Through analytically deconstructing a wide array of historical, geographical, social and political representations of crime and criminal justice. Students upon the module will be encouraged to identify and assess how and why these representations of crime and criminal justice are constructed and disseminated among society. Considerations of gender, class, disability, age, race, religion and sex will therefore be acknowledged to emphasise the spectrum of individuals within society (sub-)consciously influential in, as well as influenced by representations of crime and criminal justice. Whilst the philosophical and theoretical concepts which are embedded throughout the module will serve to highlight to students the advantages and limitations of representations throughout practice. This module will allow students to acquire meaningful skills which can be pivotal in their personal and professional lives as champions of social justice reform. From having explored and discovered the pervasive influence representations hold over the ongoing (re-)configuration of culture in practice, as well as developing their digital proficiencies in communication.

You will develop an understanding of the social and legal consequences of the social constructions of, and interactions between, race, ethnicity and migration in the contemporary governance of global injustice, You will analyse arguments about migration, both as a range of practices and relations that people enact, and as a system of governance that manages security as well as inequality in the freedom to move, and in life opportunities. You will examine the challenges and harms of border controls, the attribution or denial of citizen rights, and migrant detention. You will also develop understanding of how systemic inequities in race and ethnicity intersect with criminal justice practices, influencing outcomes such as policing, sentencing, and incarceration. Through exploration of individual biographies and case studies, you will come to recognise the core issues of concern in race, ethnicity, migration and justice. 

You will explore the contribution of medical and scientific expertise in society’s management of mental illness. You will examine experiences of people with mental ill health in the criminal justice system, analysing laws, policy, and practice in the areas of public protection and offender assessment and management. You will analyse the themes of power and control in the context of the development of psychiatry and the medicalisation process. You will learn how historical treatments of mental illness have created false identities of mental illness being connected to crime and concepts of risk and dangerousness. You will develop a critically informed viewpoint on the ethical, practical, and legal complexities of treating, assessing, and managing offenders with a mental health disorder in the criminal justice and psychiatric systems. You will develop an understanding of the complexities of assessing and managing so-called ‘dangerous’ or ‘high-risk’ offenders in practice.

Experiential Learning - Social Impact Leadership on Action (40 Credits) Option
This experiential module is designed to provide students with hands-on learning experiences that complement their academic studies. This module aims to bridge the gap between personal social missions, theory and practice, equipping students with critical awareness, essential skills and experiences for their future plans, including employment, further study and other ventures. The module is enriched through partnership working between academics and others working in a range of organisations promoting social impact. Students will have opportunities to foster their own social missions, develop and apply academic understanding and key skills through working on real-world projects. Key components of teaching and learning include:

• Real-World Projects: Students engage in projects that address actual challenges faced by organisations, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge and key skills in practical settings.
• Service Learning: Initiatives that combine community service with learning objectives, promoting social responsibility and civic engagement.
• Reflective Practices: Encouraging students to reflect on their experiences through journals, discussions, and skills analyses to enhance critical thinking and personal growth.
• Networking Opportunities: A range of networking opportunities will be shared that students can engage in during independent study to build sector insights and develop their networks.
• Skills workshops: Experts will deliver Social Impact Leadership workshops giving insight into personal success and challenges in their paths and teaching key skills towards success.
• Career Guidance workshops: Knowledge from Career Experts will underpin career guidance to support students to develop personalised plans for actioning towards aspirations, including employment, further study and other aspirations.

This module aims to empower students with the tools and resources necessary to secure meaningful employment and embark on successful careers.

Preparation for the year abroad will take place in Chester during level 5 and will include:

• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Host-country orientation, study methods– economic, political and social reality of the country
• Orientation specific to exchange – health, education, gender issues
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Practical matters relating to living and studying in the wider world

Theories, models and strategies of learning

• Critical thinking skills, experiential learning and models of reflection

Personal and placement-related transversal skills

• Effective self-motivation and independent resourcefulness
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development

Whilst abroad:

You will undertake study at one of the University of Chester's partner universities or undertake and approved work placement or virtual placement. If you are a student,  it is expected that you will choose a series of modules at the university abroad which must be agreed by the host institution and the Module Leader. you must supply details of you modules on a learning agreement within 4 weeks of arrival at the host university.