Criminology

Criminology is the study of the reasons why individuals commit crimes. By understanding why a person commits a crime, we can develop ways to control crime or rehabilitate the criminal. An understanding of criminology is relevant to many job roles within the criminal justice sector, social and probation work and sociology and psychology. The Level 3 Applied Diploma is equivalent to one A level. This is an Applied General qualification. This means it is designed to support students progressing to university. It has been designed to offer exciting and interesting experiences that focuses on study through applied learning, i.e. through the acquisition of knowledge and understanding in purposeful contexts linked to the criminal justice system.

What different types of crime take place in our society? How do we decide what behaviour is criminal? What is the difference between criminal behaviour and deviance? How do we explain why people commit crime? What happens to those who commit a crime? Why and how do we punish people? What organisations do we have in our society to control criminality? These are just some of the questions that we will consider.

You will study 4 units; Changing Awareness of Crime, Criminological Theories, Crime Scene to Court Room and Crime and Punishment. You will gain skills in differentiating between myth and reality, recognising that common representations may be misleading and inaccurate. You will review criminal cases, evaluating the evidence in the cases to determine whether the verdict is safe and just. You will be looking at the trial process and the many different people and agencies it involves. Unit 4 allows learners to think about the criminal justice system in England and Wales and how it operates to achieve social control.

There are two methods of assessment. The units on Criminal Theories and Crime and Punishment are assessed by students sitting one 90 minute formal exam for each unit. Each exam has a combination of short and extended answer questions which will focus on applied learning scenarios. Students are allowed two resit opportunities. Each exam contributes 25% of the final grade. The units on Changing Awareness of Crime and Crime Scene to Courtroom have controlled assessment tasks. These are tasks that are set and completed by students over a number of hours under controlled conditions. Students will use a range of skills involving creativity, photography, video and written skills. Once complete the tasks are marked by school staff and moderated by the exam board. Each unit contributes to 25% of the final grade. Final diploma grades are from A* to E.

An Applied Diploma in Criminology, combined with other qualifications, will provide students with the skills, knowledge and understanding to progress into Higher Education to study a degree in a related subject such as Criminology, Criminology with Law, Psychology or Sociology. Alternatively, the qualification allows students to gain the required understanding and skills to be able to consider employment within some aspects of the criminal justice system, e.g. the National Probation Service, the Courts and Tribunals Service or the National Offender Management Service.