Surely everyone has a view about crime and punishment but in my experience knowledge about our criminal justice is patchy. This short course attempts to address this by examining the range of issues the criminal justice system (CJS) embraces. From arrest to prosecution and sentencing through to purpose and effectiveness of sentences. Deterrence, rehabilitation, reformation , incapacitation and retribution are all objectives of punishment philosophy. 

Important too to have an understanding of the main agencies in the CJS namely the courts, the police, probation and prison services touching too on the voluntary sectors contribution. 

Then of course there is the vexed issue of how much crime, what is a crime, how do we measure it? Criminal statistics. media and crime? Public opinion and crime? Politics and crime? mental health and crime?

Underpinning all of this is the question: Are the victims of crime too often overlooked? And lastly, because it is a particular research interest of mine: Capital Punishment - there is more to it than being for or against it. 

Peter Hodgkinson, the Group Leader has had an extensive career working as a Probation Officer, Forensic Social Worker and University Lecturer and Researcher.

Risk assessment is here.