Major Issues in Criminology and Penology

Home Admissions Course Information Major Issues in Criminology and Penology

LESM 3003AED

Course Guide
Major Issues in Criminology and Penology

LESM 3003AED

Course Guide

Major Issues in Criminology and Penology

Course Start Date
N/A
Course Level
N/A
Length in Terms
N/A
Credits
N/A
Language
N/A
Fees ($) (including lab fees)
N/A
Future Terms
Quota and Schedule
Course Start Date
Course LevelLength in TermsCredits
Language
Fees ($) (including lab fees)
Future Terms
N/A
N/AN/AN/A
N/A
N/A

Course Coordinator:

Dr Wayne Chan, BSSc, MSocSc, PhD (HKU)

Course Developers:

Dr Kalwan Kwan; Prof. R J Harris

Aims

  • Introduce the main traditions and debates underpinning criminology and penology.
  • Equip students to engage in discussing in an analytical manner the main traditions and contemporary views in the understanding of criminality and the management of offenders.
  • Enable students to examine the empirical basis of relevant research studies.
  • Provide opportunities for students to engage theoretically with abstract concepts and to reflect upon the relevance of these theoretical ideas to professional practices.

Contents

The course covers the following topics:

  • Nature of criminology
  • Classical perspective
  • Positivist perspective
  • Social theory and criminology
  • Sociological perspective
  • Environmental perspective
  • Nature of punishment
  • Rehabilitation and management of offenders
  • Prevention and management of crime
  • New penology in the modern society

Learning support

Course materials and tutorials are the main strategies employed in the course to help students achieve the learning outcomes.

Students are expected to consult the course materials in advance according to the presentation schedule. Tutorials and day schools are then used to assist their study, discuss the major content of the topics and scrutinise the views raised by scholars. Attending and participating in tutorials and day schools are strongly encouraged.  

Students can also use the Online Learning Environment which contains supplementary readings, tutorials PowerPoint, hyperlinks to useful websites and other relevant resources. The online Discussion Board offers an additional means for students to communicate with each other and to interact with the Course Coordinator and tutor.

Assessment

The passing mark for both the continuous assessment and the examination is 40. To pass the course, students must pass both the continuous assessment and the final examination.

  • Continuous assessment (weighting 50%)
    There are five assignments. Students are encouraged to submit all five assignments, but only the best four grades obtained in the assignments count for the continuous assessment. The five assignments assesses each of the five learning outcomes correspondingly.
    • Assignment 1, worth 12.5%
    • Assignment 2, worth 12.5%
    • Assignment 3, worth 12.5%
    • Assignment 4, worth 12.5%
    • Assignment 5, worth 12.5%
  • Examination (weighting 50%)
    The final examination for LESM 3003AED Major Issues in Criminology and Penology will be of three hours' duration and have a value of 50% of the total course grade. The final examination covers all the topics in the course and contains questions similar to the types of exercises, self-tests and assignments students have previously experienced.  It will cover materials from all units and all learning outcomes are assessed.

Online requirement

Students are required to submit assignments via the Online Learning Environment (OLE).

Set book(s)

Bernard, T, Snipes, J and Gerould, A (2019) Vold's Theoretical Criminology, 8th edn, New York: Oxford University Press.