This course is aimed at those seeking a future career in the criminal justice sector, sociology, social and probation work. It has a mixture of internal and external assessments over 2 years and is equivalent to 1 A Level in terms of UCAS tariff points.
The course will consider the following topics: Changing Awareness of Crime; Criminological Theories; Crime Scene to Courtroom, and Crime and Punishment.
1st Year
Unit 1 – Changing Awareness of Crime.
This will enable the learner to demonstrate understanding of different types of crime, influences on perceptions of crime and why some crimes are unreported. It will be internally assessed through a summative assessment.
Unit 2 – Criminological Theories
This will enable the learner to apply their understanding of the public perceptions of crime and campaigns for change studied in Unit 1 with criminological theories to examine how both are used to set policy. Theories to be explored are within the broader groups of:
It will be externally assessed in a 1 hour and 30 minutes written paper.
2nd Year
Unit 3 – Crime Scene to Courtroom
This will enable the learner to develop the understanding and skills needed to examine information in order to review the justice of verdicts in criminal cases including violent crime, e-crime and property crime. It will be internally assessed through a summative assessment.
Unit 4 – Crime and Punishment
This will enable to develop skills in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the process of social control in delivering policy in practice. This unit will also consider forms of Social Control, such as rational ideology, tradition, internalisation, coercion, deterrence as well as forms of punishment, incarceration, community service and financial. It will be externally assessed in a 1 hour and 30 minutes written paper.
Individual Subject Entry Requirement GCSE Math and English Grade C
“CAVC is a great place to study A Levels – the teachers, the support, the facilities and social experience has been so good – I’m delighted to have gained all A’s in my AS exams. The support to apply and prepare for university is brilliant and I’m looking forward to progressing after college.”
This course will enable progression onto university courses such as BA/Sc Criminology as well as LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology.
Alternatively, the qualification allows learners to gain the required understanding and skills to be able to consider employment within some aspects of the criminal justice system, e.g. the National Probation Service, the Courts and Tribunals Service or the National Offender Management Service.