| CODE | CRM1021 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Sociological Theories of Crime | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Criminology | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit provides a general introduction to the sociology of crime and deviance. It aims to enhance understanding of the social causes and ramification of crime and deviance through various macro and micro sociological explanations. The impact of the various sociological contributors on criminological thoughts will be explored through the main theoretical frameworks of; Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic Interactionism, and New Realism, which theories have largely informed our social understanding of crime and deviance. Study-unit Aims: The aims of this study-unit are: • to familiarise students with the sociology of crime and deviance; • to provide an understanding of the sociological explanations of the etiology of crime and deviance through a review of t major theoretical perspectives, including Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic Interactionism and New Realism; • to pose links between sociological andcriminological theory, its context and impact on Criminal Justice policies. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • think about crime and deviance in a sociological manner; • appraise the contribution of the theoretical sociological frameworks analyzed to the understanding of crime and justice and criminal justice policy; • discuss the ways in which sociology can provide valuable insights into the phenomenon of crime and deviance; • explain the importance of understanding the wider historical and political context in which crime is constructed. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • interpret the etiology of crime and deviance through different sociological theories; • differentiate between macro and micro theories of crime; • adapt sociological theories to particular situations; • debate on the validity of classical sociological theories of crime in current societies; • debate on the impact of sociological theories on criminal justice policies. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Barkan, S. E. (2001). Criminology: A sociological understanding. Prentice-Hall. - Downes, D. M., Rock, P. E., & McLaughlin, E. (2016). Understanding deviance: A guide to the sociology of crime and rule-breaking. Oxford University Press. - Jones, S. (2021). Criminology (7th ed). Oxford University Press. - Liebling, A., Maruna, S. & McAra, L. (Eds.).(2023). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. (7th ed.) Oxford University Press. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Mary Grace Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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