Module Information

Module Identifier
CRM1220
Module Title
International Comparative Youth Justice
Academic Year
2023/2024
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Co-Requisite
Reading List
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Presentation  (20 minutes + 10 mins question response)  30%
Semester Assessment Assignment  (5000 words in the style of a journal article)  70%
Supplementary Assessment Assignment  (5000 words in the style of a journal article)  70%
Supplementary Assessment Plan for Presentation  ​(Powerpoint slides and 2000 word rationale)  30%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Critically understand and debate the issues raised in international youth justice policies and regulations.

Critically understand a range of youth justice jurisdictions outside England and Wales.

Critically compare a range of international youth justice jurisdictions with the youth justice system in England and Wales.

Identify strengths and weaknesses of international youth justice systems with regards to the best interests of the child.

Brief description

This module will use a mixture of lectures (1 hr; NB: initial lecture 2 hrs) and seminar discussions (2 hrs) each week to investigate and develop independent critical thinking and analysis of a range of international youth justice jurisdictions; this will encourage students to develop their own skills of critical analysis. There will also be opportunities for them to present on a jurisdiction or comparative issue of their own choice, requiring them to develop sophisticated arguments, and respond to class questions.

Content

Week 1

Lecture 1: Introduction and overview of comparative issues; international youth justice policies and regulations.
Seminar 1: Laying the foundations - international comparisons overview of age restrictions, use of custody, children’s rights.

Lecture 2: first jurisdiction (online)

Weeks 2 – 9
Seminar looking each week at a different jurisdiction (for example, this could include Scotland, USA, Australia, Canada etc).
A weekly lecture will be provided (recorded and available online) as an introduction to the next jurisdiction being studied

Week 9 would also include Lecture 10: Conclusions of comparatives, delivered live.

Week 10
Seminar 10: Student presentations on a comparative jurisdiction of their choice (may be more than one session, depending on the numbers enrolled).

(NB: the precise jurisdictions covered may alter according to topical change and development).

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number N/A
Communication Students will be expected to present to a professional standard when delivering their assessed presentation. They will also be expected to fully engage with all discussions and debates, which will be the cornerstone of each seminar. They will also be expected to demonstrate a high level of academic writing and referencing ability, producing written work to a publishable (or near publishable) quality. Their assignment will be in the style of a publishable journal article. This will enable them to understand how to write a publishable journal article.
Improving own Learning and Performance Students will need to demonstrate both of these qualities when presenting and then addressing questions of their peers.
Information Technology Students will be expected to access materials from Blackboard, and use technology to enhance their presentation (using such programmes as Powerpoint or Prezi).
Personal Development and Career planning This whole module will be embedded within real youth justice practice across the world. Students will be expected to maintain a reflective approach throughout this module in order to show the development in their own attitude and understanding of international youth justice debates. This can then be applied in the assignment.
Problem solving Students will need to be able to critically discuss how issues raised by international jurisdictions could be addressed. Students will also need to identify an area on which to present.
Research skills Throughout this module students will be required to be critical of research, policy and practice. This requires are far more nuanced and deeper skills and abilities in critical analysis and debate than the undergraduate youth justice module.
Subject Specific Skills
Team work The seminars for this module will require students to debate and discuss controversial issues (which they will have researched) in a group setting, and to respond to the questions of their peers for one of their assessments.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7