Last modified: 22 Jul 2026 13:41
This course introduces students to the key criminological theories and perspectives that help us understand why some people are more likely than others to commit crime, or to be victims of it. It also asks what we can learn from those theories when thinking about how society responds to offending. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to think critically about how crime is defined, why certain conduct is criminalised in the first place, and the values underpinning the criminal justice system. From these foundational questions, the course moves on to more specific areas of criminal justice practice, including sexual offences, the impact of imprisonment on offenders and their families, and the alternatives to custody that exist within the Scottish system.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 2 |
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| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
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The course is taught across five seminars and four tutorials. The course will address and develop understanding and knowledge of key criminological perspectives, alongside the legal principles and practice that shape how the criminal justice system responds to offending Recognising there is no one cause of crime and criminal behaviour, the course draws on theory and legal practice to to better understand the causes of crime and to reflect on different assumptions and ideologies behind these different perspectives. Understanding the reasons and explanations why a person commits a crime allows insight into ways to control crime or rehabilitate the criminal.
The course begins by examining what crime is and how the Scottish criminal justice system is structured to respond to it, from the courts and prosecution through to sentencing, before turning to the question of what conduct should be criminalised in the first place. It then considers how courts weigh aggravating and mitigating factors when sentencing, and the practice of discounting a sentence in exchange for an early guilty plea. Particular attention is given to youth crime and sexual offences, including how the courts approach sentencing in each, and the distinctive harm these offences cause. The course also examines the impact of imprisonment on offenders’ families and children, the relationship between drug use and crime, and the alternatives to custody available within the Scottish system.
The emphasis throughout the course is on understanding explanations of crime and criminal behaviour, the consequent harm caused, and the potential to control or respond to crime through the application of different conceptual, theoretical, and legal approaches to specific forms of criminality, victimisation, and injustice.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
45 minute Multiple-Choice Questions class test worth 40% of the overall grade. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 60 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
1,500-word essay worth 60% of the overall grade. Feedback will be provided on MyAberdeen in the course submission. |
Word Count | 1500 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Conceptual | Understand | Students will gain an understanding of Criminological Theories introducing the connections between conceptual theories of crime and justice & applied examples of their affect on contemporary societies |
| Conceptual | Understand | Students will develop the necessary skills and knowledge to assimilate and integrate integrating information and materials from a variety of different sources to inform and guide understanding. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Students will develop knowledge and understanding how different Criminological Theories affect contemporary societies to enable them to present arguments for and against propositions |
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