UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CODE OF PRACTICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
MODULE SPECIFICATION
1. The title of the module Prison and Probation Policy and Practice
2. The Department which will be responsible for management of the module SSPSSR
3. The Start Date of the Module October 2013
4. The cohort of students (onward) to which the module will be applicable MA in Social
and Public Policy (Criminal Justice), October 2013 onwards
5. The number of students expected to take the module 8-10
6. Modules to be withdrawn on the introduction of this proposed module and
consultation with other relevant Departments and Faculties regarding the withdrawal
None
7. The level of the module (eg Certificate [C], Intermediate [I], Honours [H] or
Postgraduate [M]) M (FHEQ Level 7)
8. The number of credits which the module represents 20 credits, ECTS 10
9. Which term(s) the module is to be taught in (or other teaching pattern) One Saturday
per month, September to June inclusive.
10. Prerequisite and co-requisite modules
None
11. The programmes of study to which the module contributes The module contributes to
the suite of MAs in Social and Public Policy. It is a core module for the MA in Social and
Public Policy (Criminal Justice) and an optional module for the MAs in Social and Public
Policy, Social and Public Policy (Urban Regeneration), and Social and Public Policy (Religion).
12. The intended subject specific learning outcomes and, as appropriate, their
relationship to programme learning outcomes
The intended subject specific learning outcomes (SSLOs) are linked to programme learning
outcomes in the MA in Social and Public Policy (Criminal Justice) Programme Specification. By
the end of this module, successful students will:
12.1
Have acquired an enhanced understanding of the underpinning concepts and theories
applied in prison and probation policy and practice. This relates to A1 (knowledge and
understanding of the concepts and theories of social science relevant to social and
public policy), A2 (knowledge of how these concepts and theories have been applied to
the creation, implementation, evaluation and critique of social and public policy), A3
(the application of social policy of concepts in public policy, including policy making,
evidence utilisation, social ethics, evaluation, policy analysis and critique), and C1
(identify and understand key issues in theory and research relevant to social and public
policy from a multidisciplinary perspective) of the MA in Social and Public Policy
(Criminal Justice) Programme Specification.
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UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CODE OF PRACTICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
12.2
Be able to find and evaluate critically qualitative and quantitative research findings in
scholarly literature and prison/probation policy and practice. This relates to A6 (use of
qualitative and quantitative research methods and their critical application in the
scholarly literature and in policy papers) and C2 (research and access the main sources
of information relevant to the study of social and public policy) of the MA in Social and
Public Policy (Criminal Justice) Programme Specification.
12.3
Have developed and be able to present, verbally and in writing, reasoned, well informed
arguments about, and a critical understanding of, prison and probation policy and
practice, grounded in relevant and multi-disciplinary theoretical concepts and
frameworks. This relates to B1(seminar presentations and discussions (including online)
will encourage students to present information orally), B4 (use theoretical concepts and
frameworks to gain a sophisticated and critical understanding of the challenges and
dilemmas of social and public policy), C1 (identify and understand key issues in theory
and research relevant to social and public policy from a multidisciplinary perspective),
and C4 (present results in a meaningful way to academic and professional audiences) of
the MA in Social and Public Policy (Criminal Justice) Programme Specification.
12.4
Have acquired an enhanced understanding of the principles that underlie criminal
justice policy, contemporary issues and debates in criminal justice, and the use of crime
data, specifically as they relate to prison and probation policy and practice. This relates
to the MA in Social and Public Policy programme specifications A1 (knowledge and
understanding of the concepts and theories of social science relevant to social and
public policy), A2 (knowledge of how these concepts and theories have been applied to
the creation, implementation, evaluation and critique of social and public policy), A3
(the application of social policy of concepts in public policy, including policy making,
evidence utilisation, social ethics, evaluation, policy analysis and critique), C1 (identify
and understand key issues in theory and research relevant to social and public policy
and the specialist pathways where appropriate from a multidisciplinary perspective); C2
(research and access the main sources of information relevant to the study of social and
public policy and the specialist areas)
13. The intended generic learning outcomes and, as appropriate, their relationship to
programme learning outcomes
The intended generic learning outcomes (GLOs) are linked to programme learning outcomes in
the MA in Social and Public Policy (Criminal Justice) Programme Specification. By the end of
this module, successful students will:
13.1
Have developed their verbal and written communication skills. Students will be able to
organize detailed and complex information in a coherent and logical way and respond
critically to theoretical and empirical research evidence, and will have presented that
information orally in seminars and in writing in the assessed essay. This relates to B2
(seminar presentations and discussions (including online) will encourage students to
present information orally), D2 (summarise detailed and complex bodies of information
concisely and accurately), D3 (formulate arguments in verbal presentations, using social
science language and terminology, and defend these against opposing views) and D5
(present information and arguments in written form, in accordance with academic
conventions, and appropriately to the intended readership) of the MA in Social and
Public Policy (Criminal Justice) Programme Specification.
13.2
Have developed enhanced independent research skills, using a wide range of library and
web-based resources appropriate for postgraduate study, including the ability to use
quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate evidence. This relates to B3 (general
research skills; gather data from secondary sources, especially large data sets and webbased resources) and D1 (undertake research utilising a diverse range of sources,
including: a) data compiled by international and national policy makers, transnational
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UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CODE OF PRACTICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
agencies, and governmental data; b) existing survey and interview data (for restudy); and
c) original data collected and analysed through independent research) of the MA in
Social and Public Policy (Criminal Justice) Programme Specification.
13.3
Be able to reflect upon their academic progress, manage their own learning, and
respond appropriately to constructive feedback from staff and other students. This
relates to B5 (reflect on and manage their own learning and seek to make use of
constructive feedback from peers and staff to enhance their performance and personal
skills) and D6 (evaluate personal performance) of the MA in Social and Public Policy
(Criminal Justice) Programme Specification.
13.4
Have developed enhanced interpersonal skills, including demonstrating sensitivity to
the values and interests of others and to the dimensions of difference, by working
constructively and collaboratively with staff and students in seminars. This relates to B5
(reflect on and manage their own learning and seek to make use of constructive
feedback from peers and staff to enhance their performance and personal skills) of the
MA in Social and Public Policy (Criminal Justice) Programme Specification.
14. Synopsis of the curriculum
This module will consider, at an advanced level, the policies underpinning the work of, and
daily practices of, the adult Correctional Services in England and Wales; that is, Her Majesty’s
Prison Service and those prisons operated by the contracted out (private) penal estate, and the
National Probation Service. The module will draw upon theoretical, empirical, and policyoriented literature primarily from England and Wales, although some literature will consider,
particularly for comparative purposes, the Correctional Services in North America. Topics for
study include the role of the National Offender Management Service, and in particular, the
advance of contestability and commissioning; critical issues facing Her Majesty’s Prison Service
and the National Probation Service; offending behaviour programmes in prison and probation;
the management of ‘special’ categories of prisoners; the Correctional Services’s contribution to
risk assessment, risk management, and decisions relating to early release schemes; and
‘desistance-focused’ probation practice and resettlement work.
15. Indicative Reading List
Harper, G. and Chitty, C. (eds.) (2005) The Impact of Corrections on Re-offending: A Review of ‘What
Works’, 3rd edition. Home Office Research Study No. 291. London: Home Office.
Garland, D. (2001) Culture of Control: Crime and Social Order in Contemporary Society. Oxford:
Clarendon Press.
Gelsthorpe, L. and Morgan, R. (eds.) (2007) Handbook of Probation. Cullompton: Willan
Publishing.
Jewkes, Y. (ed.) (2007) Handbook on Prisons. Cullompton: Willan Publishing.
Liebling, A. with Arnold, H. (2004) Prisons and their Moral Performance: A Study of Values, Quality,
and Prison Life. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
McGuire, J. (ed.) (2002) Offender Rehabilitation and Treatment: Effective Programmes and Policies to
Reduce Re-Offending. Chichester: John Wiley.
Padfield, N. (ed.) (2007) Who to Release? Parole, Fairness and Criminal Justice. Cullompton: Willan.
Shuker, R. and Sullivan, E. (eds.) (2010) Grendon and the Emergence of Forensic Therapeutic
Communities: Developments in Research and Practice. Chichester: Wiley.
Vanstone, M. (2004) Supervising Offenders in the Community: A History of Probation Theory and Practice.
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UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CODE OF PRACTICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
Aldershot: Ashgate.
Zimring, F. and Hawkins, G. (1995) Incapacitation: Penal Confinement and the Restraint of Crime.
Oxford University Press.
16. Learning and Teaching Methods, including the nature and number of contact hours
and the total study hours which will be expected of students, and how these relate to
achievement of the intended learning outcomes
It is anticipated that the MA students on this programme are in full time employment, and this
module will therefore be taught in a format to accommodate their needs. Lectures and seminars
will be delivered intensively on a ‘study day’ on a stipulated Saturday during the academic year.
Three such ‘study days’ will take place between September to June, from 11.00-17.00, with
breaks for lunch and refreshments. Each ‘study day’ will be comprised of five contact teaching
hours. These start and end times allow for students at some distance from Kent to travel to
and from the campus comfortably, and have regard for the safety considerations of lone
women students travelling by public transport. In addition, students will have access on
Moodle to written material with embedded links to relevant websites, lecture slides, and CLA
readings to support their independent study, and will be encouraged to participate in moderated
Moodle forums.
Total contact time will be 15 hours (lectures and seminars) plus ten hours for forum discussion.
Students will be expected to study for 175 hours privately over the ten month period, including
the time taken for the assessment and for participation in the online forums. Total study time
will therefore be 200 hours.
Lectures are used to disseminate explain and elucidate key themes and concepts. A broad
overview of the area will be presented, key issues will be examined, and sources of further
information and enquiry will be referenced, allowing the topic to be further developed during
private study time. Lectures therefore facilitate students’ acquisition of knowledge and
understanding about correctional policy and practice.
Seminars provide a forum for more in-depth discussion of core readings and debate about key
issues, allowing students collectively to review, clarify as necessary, and develop their academic
arguments, critical and analytical skills, and their presentation skills. Seminars also encourage
the enhancement of students’ interpersonal and group working skills. Seminars therefore
facilitate students’ acquisition of knowledge and understanding about correctional policy and
practice and their development of postgraduate-level intellectual skills, subject specific skills,
and transferable skills.
Private study time is used by students to prepare for seminars, read more widely in the relevant
areas, examine issues in detail, participate in online forums, and complete the assessed essay.
Appropriate support will be given in the form of extensive reading lists, comprising both books
and electronically accessed journals, and internet resources. Private study therefore facilitates
students’ acquisition of knowledge and understanding about correctional policy and practice
and their development of postgraduate-level intellectual skills, subject specific skills, and
transferable skills.
17. Assessment methods and how these relate to testing achievement of the intended
learning outcomes
The module will be assessed by one 5000 word essay. The essay will address a topic either
chosen from a list of titles provided by the module convenor or in a response to a title devised
by the student and approved by the module convenor.
The essay will effectively evaluate students’ understanding of, and development of critical
thinking about, all the material presented to them in the lectures, seminars, and in the set
New module specification approved by Faculty 28 October 2012
UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CODE OF PRACTICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
reading, further reading, and library and web-based independent research undertaken during
private study.
The essay will be submitted online through Turnitin and in hard copy.
Learning and Teaching
Method or Assessment
Lectures
Objectives
The lectures provide a structure for the development of the
following subject-specific objectives:
12.1 Acquiring an enhanced understanding of the
underpinning concepts and theories applied in prison and
probation policy and practice.
12.4 Have acquired an enhanced understanding of the
principles that underlie criminal justice policy, contemporary
issues and debates in criminal justice, and the use of crime
data, specifically as they relate to prison and probation policy
and practice
Seminars
The seminars will provide students with the opportunity to
develop the following subject specific and generic learning
outcomes:
12.2 The seminars will help students build towards being
able to find and evaluate critically qualitative and quantitative
research findings in scholarly literature and prison/probation
policy and practice.
12.3 The seminars provide the opportunity to develop and
be able to present, verbally and in writing, reasoned, wellinformed arguments about, and a critical understanding of,
prison and probation policy and practice, grounded in
relevant and multi-disciplinary theoretical concepts and
frameworks.
13.1 The development of students’ verbal and written
communication skills
13.3 The ability to reflect upon their academic progress,
manage their own learning, and respond appropriately to
constructive feedback from staff and other students.
13.4 The development of enhanced interpersonal skills,
including demonstrating sensitivity to the values and
interests of others and to the dimensions of difference, by
working constructively and collaboratively with staff and
students in seminars.
Essay (100%, 5,000)
The essay provides a structure to assess the development of
the following subject-specific and generic learning outcomes:
12.1 Acquiring an enhanced understanding of the
underpinning concepts and theories applied in prison and
probation policy and practice.
12.2 The ability to find and evaluate critically qualitative and
New module specification approved by Faculty 28 October 2012
UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CODE OF PRACTICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
quantitative research findings in scholarly literature and
prison/probation policy and practice
12.3 The opportunity to develop and be able to present,
verbally and in writing, reasoned, well-informed arguments
about, and a critical understanding of, prison and probation
policy and practice, grounded in relevant and multidisciplinary theoretical concepts and frameworks.
12.4 Have acquired an enhanced understanding of the
principles that underlie criminal justice policy, contemporary
issues and debates in criminal justice, and the use of crime
data, specifically as they relate to prison and probation policy
and practice.
13.1 The development of students’ verbal and written
communication skills
13.2 The development of enhanced independent research
skills, using a wide range of library and web-based resources
appropriate for postgraduate study, including the ability to
use quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate evidence.
13.3 Be able to reflect on their academic progress, manage
their own learning, and respond appropriately to
constructive feedback from staff and other students.
13.4 The seminar interaction will help students build
towards the essay by helping to develop enhanced
interpersonal skills, including demonstrating sensitivity to
the values and interests of others and to the dimensions of
difference, by working constructively and collaboratively
with staff and students in seminars.
18. Implications for learning resources, including staff, library, IT and space
One lecture/seminar room which can seat 10 students, for one Saturday a month.
Some new titles and additional copies of texts already held at the Drill Hall Library will have to
be purchased for this module.
19. The School recognises and has embedded the expectations of current disability
equality legislation, and supports students with a declared disability or special
educational need in its teaching. Within this module we will make reasonable
adjustments wherever necessary, including additional or substitute materials,
teaching modes or assessment methods for students who have declared and
discussed their learning support needs. Arrangements for students with declared
disabilities will be made on an individual basis, in consultation with the University’s
disability/dyslexia support service, and specialist support will be provided where
needed.
I confirm that, as far as can be reasonably anticipated, the curriculum, learning and
teaching methods and forms of assessment do not present any non-justifiable
disadvantage to students with disabilities. Care will be taken to ensure that online
resources and teaching sessions are accessible to students with disabilities.
20. Campus(es) where module will be delivered
New module specification approved by Faculty 28 October 2012
UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CODE OF PRACTICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
Medway
If the module is part of a programme in a Partner College or Validated Institution, please
complete the following:
21. Partner College/Validated Institution
22. University School (for cognate programmes)
programmes) responsible for the programme
or
Faculty
(for
non-cognate
SECTION 2: MODULE IS PART OF A PROGRAMME OF STUDY IN A UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
Statement by the School Director of Learning and Teaching/School Director of Graduate
Studies (as appropriate): "I confirm I have been consulted on the above module proposal and
have given advice on the correct procedures and required content of module proposals"
................................................................
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Director of Learning and Teaching/Director of
Graduate Studies (delete as applicable)
Date
…………………………………………………
Print Name
Statement by the Head of School: "I confirm that the School has approved the introduction of the
module and, where the module is proposed by School staff, will be responsible for its resourcing"
.................................................................
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Head of School
Date
…………………………………………………….
Print Name
SECTION 3: MODULE IS PART OF A PROGRAMME IN A PARTNER COLLEGE OR
VALIDATED INSTITUTION
(Where the module is proposed by a Partner College/Validated Institution)
Statement by the Nominated Officer of the College/Validated Institution (delete as
applicable): "I confirm that the College/Validated Institution (delete as applicable) has approved
the introduction of the module and will be responsible for its resourcing"
.................................................................
..............................................
Nominated Responsible Officer of Partner
College/Validated Institution
Date
………………………………………………….
Print Name
New module specification approved by Faculty 28 October 2012
UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CODE OF PRACTICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
…………………………………………………..
Post
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Partner College/Validated Institution
New module specification approved by Faculty 28 October 2012