Division of Social Sciences Assessment Brief
Module Name
Issues in Crime
Module Code
DSS_4_IIC
Module Level
Level 4 Year 1
Module Leader/Marker
Rashid Aziz and Federica Rossi
Format of Assessment
1,500 word essay (worth 50% of the module mark).
Deadline
20th May 2019 11:55pm
Assessment
Write a 1500 word essay on one of the following:
1. Discuss the trends in data on ‘hate crime’ and explore reasons why people may not report this kind of crime to police.
2. What should be the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) in England and Wales? Discuss the arguments for and against raising the MACR.
3. What are the goals of punishment? Discuss with reference to the principles of reductivism and retributivism.
4. Are prison conditions in England and Wales too harsh or too soft? Discuss with reference to current debates on prisoners’ rights, levels of self-harm, violence and disorder.
5. How much freedom should be compromised for security? Discuss positive and negative impacts of surveillance and counter-terrorism measures.
Bibliography
Use at least 4 different academic references
Harvard Style Referencing
To pass this assessment you must:
Read academic sources
Write in good, clear English
Answer the question
To do well on this assessment you should:
Read at least 4 academic sources – students who read wider than this tend to do better
Reference throughout the essay and include an accurate bibliography
Maintain a good argument through the essay
Structure the essay well
Answer the question directly
Write in an academic style
Top tips/common mistakes to avoid:
No text referencing
Text referencing in the wrong format (no page numbers, not in correct Harvard format, not placing published titles in italics or underlined)
Poor expression in English (including grammar and punctuation)
Poor proof reading
Not answering the question asked
Not linking the points made in the answer to the question asked
Lack of evidence/detail and example to back up all of the key points made
Limited reading/bibliographies
Not engaging in academic debates and arguments thereby failing to show you understand the key issues raised here
Being too descriptive (what happened) and not analytical (why something happened, how it happened and the consequences/impact)
Not taking care with presentation of your work (page numbers, feedback sheet attached, uniform font, proper paragraphs etc.)
Bibliographies not in the correct format
Not making changes to your essay in response to your TURNITIN report (if over 27% you need to take some action/check your essay again)
Divisional Assessment Criteria:
Can be found in the module guide.
Plagiarism Statement:
Whether intentional or not, plagiarism is not acceptable in any circumstances. It is regarded as a form of cheating and there are strict University regulations that apply if it is discovered. You will find further details on plagiarism in the LSBU Assessment and Examinations
Handbook (https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/84349/assessment-and-examination-handbook.pdf ) and in your Course Guide. Please read these carefully.
Support for Students:
You will need to use both printed and electronic sources. As well as the recommended readings and references found in the module guide, you should use the university’s online learning resources that can be accessed via MyLSBU and the Library. From here you will be able to find books and other printed materials held in the Library, in other libraries, and to access recommended Web sites, electronic abstracting services and full text journal articles. You can also use the LSBU Library website to renew your books.
For help finding sources and with referencing consult the Division of Social Sciences Information Skills Adviser via http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/student-services/learning-resources
For help with writing and study skills please consult Skills for Learning via http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/student-services/learning-resources
