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Police and Policing

Module description

This module will introduce you to some of the key sociological and inter-disciplinary concepts, critical issues and perennial debates in the study of the police, with a particular focus on policing in England and Wales. We will use a mixture of contemporary case studies, topical issues and insights from a range of disciplines, including sociology, law and criminology, to examine key concepts, including the role of the police, police discretion, the use of force, police accountability and plural policing. Whilst the focus is predominantly on England and Wales, literature and case studies will be drawn from a range of countries, to allow students to put policing practices into an international context.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module offers an opportunity for you to engage with the key issues, concepts and contemporary debates around the police and policing – a far-reaching and highly controversial area of study. The module also aims to provide you with an insight into the methods commonly used to research this topic, and their strengths, weaknesses and ethical implications. The focus is predominantly on English and Welsh policing, and you will benefit from an enhanced understanding of the institutional arrangements, policies and practices used in the jurisdiction. However material will also be drawn from a range of countries, to allow you to put policing practices into an international context.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. demonstrate a clear and detailed understanding of key concepts in sociological debates around policing;
• 2. analyze practical issues and contemporary debates of relevance to policing in England and Wales.
• 3. evaluate the literature used in police and policing and their implications.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. demonstrate a critical understanding of key sociological concepts in policing - and a capacity apply them to specific topics and questions;
• 5. appraise literatures used in the social sciences;
• 6. use relevant literature to analyse contemporary issues and debates.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. present a clear, evidence-based argument both verbally and in writing;
• 8. conduct guided independent study in order to research a specific topic / question;

Syllabus plan

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

• The evolution of the police in England and Wales, and the structures and governance mechanisms currently in place. 
• The nature and function of the police. 
• The difference between ‘police’ and ‘policing’. 
• The main theories of policing, their strengths, weaknesses and differences. 
• The main techniques used to research the police, their strengths and weaknesses and the role that academic analysis can, and should, play in policing. 
• Different approaches and tactics used in UK policing and internationally. 
• Police use of force, and less lethal weapons. 
• Police use of discretion. 
•  Police (sub)culture(s) 
• Accountability in modern day policing, and its interaction with police legitimacy. 
• The difference between ‘police’ and ‘policing’. 
• Changes to, and in, policing, including the notion of plural policing.
• Police misconduct and corruption 

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Bayley, D and Shearing, C ‘The Future of Policing’ Law & Society Review 30 (3): 585 – 606.
• Buttle, J (2007) ‘A Constructive Critique of the Officer Safety Programme Used in England and Wales’ Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy 17 (2): 164 – 181.
• Innis, M (2005) ‘Why ‘Soft’ Policing is Hard: On the Curious Development of Reassurance Policing, How it Became Neighbourhood Policing and What This Signifies About the Politics of Police Reform’ Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology 15: 156–169.
• Paoline, E (2004) ‘Shedding light on Police Culture: An Examination of Officer’s Occupational Attitudes Police Quarterly 7 (2): 205 – 236.
• Reisig, M and Kane, R (2014) The Oxford Handbook of Police and Policing Oxford University Press; Oxford (in particular Parts 2 and 3).

Key words search

Police, policing, research methods.