Contemporary Issues In Criminology And Security Studies
- Social Sciences
- 700 level
- 3 credit units
- 187 pages
- 20 units
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of contemporary issues in criminology and security studies. It examines the nature, scope, and theories of criminology, focusing on contemporary crimes and the roles of security agencies. The course covers the management of modern crimes such as kidnapping, militancy, cyber theft, and terrorism. It also addresses the effectiveness of criminal justice systems and the ethical considerations in law enforcement and security management.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 208 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor Marked Assignments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of CSS757, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
CSS757 · UNIT 1 THE FIELD OF CRIMINOLOGY
The discussion of both the definition and scope will provide the study with a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Thus this section presents some of the definitions and scope of criminology.
What you should be able to do
- Explain core criminological theories and their application to contemporary crime issues.
- Analyze the structure and function of the Nigerian criminal justice system.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of various crime prevention strategies.
- Assess the role of media and gender in shaping perceptions and patterns of crime.
- Apply ethical principles to law enforcement and security management.
- Understand the importance of human rights and social justice in crime prevention and control.
What it prepares you for
- Police Officer
- Security Analyst
- Correctional Officer
- Criminologist
- Law Enforcement Administrator
- Law Enforcement
- Security Services
- Corrections
- Government Agencies
- Non-profit Organizations
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: Criminological Theories
Unit 2: Criminological Theories
Requires understanding of various theoretical perspectives and their application to crime.
- Module 3: Crime Control/Criminal Justice Systems
Unit 2: Criminal Justice System in Nigeria
Involves comprehending the complex interplay of agencies and procedures within the Nigerian legal framework.
- Module 5: Issues in Crime
Unit 5: Professional Ethics, Law Enforcement and Security Management
Requires critical analysis of ethical dilemmas and the application of human rights principles in law enforcement.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 44 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: General Introduction
Unit 1: The Field of Criminology · 2 hours
Read the introduction to criminology.. Define criminology from different perspectives.. Identify key areas in the scope of criminology..
Unit 2: Research Methods in Criminology · 2 hours
Understand the term research methods.. Learn how data are collected about criminal behavior.. Gain insight into criminological problem-solving..
- Week 2Module 1: General Introduction
Unit 3: Crime and Criminality · 2 hours
Define crime.. Distinguish between legal and social conceptions of crime.. Identify and explain the essential elements of crime..
Unit 4: Types and Characteristics of Crime · 2 hours
Identify different classifications of crimes.. Describe the contents of crimes under different classifications.. Distinguish criminological classifications from others..
- Week 3Module 2: Criminological Theories
Unit 1: Deviance and Crime · 3 hours
Explain the nature of deviance.. Discuss the functions of deviance from different perspectives.. Distinguish between deviant and criminal behaviors..
- Week 4Module 2: Criminological Theories
Unit 2: Criminological Theories · 3 hours
Define theory.. Identify characteristics of scientific theory.. Understand criminological theories in explaining crimes..
- Week 5Module 3: Crime Control/Criminal Justice Systems
Unit 1: Punishment as Social Control · 3 hours
Understand punishment as social control.. Identify and explain the philosophies of punishment.. Describe the methods of punishment..
- Week 6Module 3: Crime Control/Criminal Justice Systems
Unit 2: Criminal Justice System in Nigeria · 3 hours
Define the Criminal Justice System.. Identify the components of the CJS.. Describe the characteristics of the CJS..
- Week 7Module 3: Crime Control/Criminal Justice Systems
Unit 3: Crime Control Mechanisms · 2 hours
Define crime control.. Explain why crime control is a viable mechanism.. Recount different forms of crime control..
Unit 4: Law Enforcement: the Police · 2 hours
Define the police.. Identify the functions of the police.. Understand problems plaguing the Nigeria Police Force..
- Week 8Module 3: Crime Control/Criminal Justice Systems
Unit 5: Court Systems in Nigeria · 3 hours
Understand the court system.. Describe the structure of the court system.. Explain the role of lawyers in criminal courts..
- Week 9Module 4: Corrections
Unit 1: Social Reactions to Crime: Correctional Institution (Prison) · 3 hours
Understand correctional institutions.. Distinguish types of correctional institutions.. Understand the prison as a correctional institution..
- Week 10Module 4: Corrections
Unit 2: Community Corrections · 3 hours
Define Community Correction.. Identify forms of community corrections.. State why community corrections are important..
- Week 11Module 4: Corrections
Unit 3: Juvenile Institutions and Juvenile Corrections · 2 hours
Define juvenile court.. Identify juvenile institutions.. Define juvenile delinquency..
Unit 4: Informal Agencies of Crime Control · 2 hours
Define informal agencies of crime control.. Identify informal crime control agencies.. Explain reasons for informal crime control agencies..
- Week 12Module 5: Issues in Crime
Unit 1: Media and Crime · 3 hours
Define media.. Explain the role of media in crime control.. Discuss the impact of television violence..
- Week 13Module 5: Issues in Crime
Unit 2: Organisational Criminality · 2 hours
Understand organized crime.. Identify characteristics of organized crimes.. Explain the mode of operation and structure of organized crimes..
Unit 3: Gender and Crime · 2 hours
Define gender.. Identify gender stereotypes.. Understand causes of female crime.. Understand gender and victimization..
Preparing for the exam
- Review all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and their solutions to reinforce understanding of key concepts.
- Create concept maps linking criminological theories (Module 2) to real-world crime scenarios.
- Focus on the structure and functions of the Nigerian Criminal Justice System (Module 3), paying attention to each component's role.
- Practice applying ethical principles from Unit 5 to case studies involving law enforcement dilemmas.
- Prepare detailed notes on the different types of crime and their characteristics (Module 1), focusing on contemporary issues.
- Allocate study time proportionally based on the difficulty levels of each module, prioritizing challenging units.
- Form study groups to discuss and clarify complex concepts, especially those related to criminological theories and ethical considerations.
Questions students ask about this course
What is CSS757 about?
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of contemporary issues in criminology and security studies. It examines the nature, scope, and theories of criminology, focusing on contemporary crimes and the roles of security agencies. The course covers the management of modern crimes such as kidnapping, militancy, cyber theft, and terrorism. It also addresses the effectiveness of criminal justice systems and the ethical considerations in law enforcement and security management.
How many units does CSS757 have?
CSS757, Contemporary Issues In Criminology And Security Studies, has 20 units across 5 modules, over 187 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is CSS757?
CSS757 carries 3 credit units, at 700 level in Social Sciences.
Is CSS757 hard?
CSS757 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does CSS757 take to study?
About 208 hours of study, spread across its 20 units.
How is CSS757 assessed?
CSS757 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.
What can I do with CSS757?
Police Officer, Security Analyst, Correctional Officer, Criminologist and Law Enforcement Administrator.