Undergraduate Module Descriptor

SOC2065: Punishment, Imprisonment and Detention

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

This module aims to allow students to engage with some of the key criminological, sociological and interdisciplinary concepts, critical issues and perennial debates in the study of punishment, imprisonment and detention. There will be a focus on philosophies, rationales and theoretical discussions around punishment and detention; policies and practices; imprisonment and punishment beyond imprisonment.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Analyse practical issues and contemporary debates of relevance to punishment, imprisonment and/or detention 2. Critically assess and apply the academic literature to debates around punishment, imprisonment and/or detention 3. Demonstrate clear and detailed understanding of punishment, imprisonment and/or detention
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. Demonstrate in writing an ability to analyse criminological and sociological materials and critically engage with these involving complex reasoning 5. Use relevant literature to contribute to contemporary issues and debates
Personal and Key Skills	6. Present a clear, evidence-based argument both verbally and in writing 7. Conduct guided independent study in order to research a specific topic / question 8. Demonstrate the ability to work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:

Philosophies and rationales for punishment, detention and imprisonment
Alternatives to imprisonment
Disparities in punishment and imprisonment
Researching places of detention and the role of the researcher
Prisons
Probation
Immigration Detention
Other places of detention (mental health, police custody, transit, care homes)
Pains of Imprisonment
Adaptation – Importation debate.
Use of force.
Segregation and solitary confinement
Long term imprisonment.
Prisoners and gender.
Black and Ethnic Minority Prisoners
The role of the prison officer
Breadth of detention: Impact on families
Breadth of detention: Impact on prisoners and rehabilitation
Monitoring, oversight and accountability
The monitoring of places of detention in international context
The politics of imprisonment: A Punitive Turn
Alternatives to places of detention

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
44	256	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning and teaching activity	22	11 x 2 hrs lectures
Scheduled learning and teaching activity	22	11 x 2 hrs seminars
Guided independent study	56	Reading for seminars
Guided independent study	100	Preparation for essay
Guided independent study	100	Preparation for exam

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).