Latest Module Specifications
Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Description This module will engage students with critical thinking about policing and how police services operate and function in society. How the vast powers police have are regulated and overseen will be a fundamental question. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Learning Outcomes 1. Identify, analyse and critique the structure, organisation and accountability of the police service 2. Consider ethical and legal principles underlying policing as well as the implications for policing of the European Convention on Human Rights. 3. Understand and analyse the different functions of policing so as to ensure a contextual understanding of the work of policing. 4. Become familiar with and able to critically assess the main sources of data about policing, from a range of disciplines and to be able to use these materials for research purposes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Police History Looking at the emergence of policing internationally, encouraging students to reflect on the relationship between police, the nature of the state, and the citizen Functions The range of functions and tasks covered by policing - what the term even means - will be assessed to give a full understanding of their role in society Culture The occupational culture of policing will be considered, with particular emphasis on how it shapes the exercise of discretion and the experience of policing by members of the public Police Powers The legal underpinning for police powers and the scale thereof will be considered Governance and Accountability Mechanisms to oversee, govern and hold police to account will be evaluated. What importance these hold for policing and society will also be discussed. Human Rights How the police and their work engages with human rights as well as the challenge of embedding human rights frameworks in policing Diversity and Policing A specific focus on how policing engages with issues of diversity: including gender, age, sexuality, race, ability and religion Public Order The strategies and impact of the policing of public order events, and what the consequences of different strategies are Private Policing Looking beyond the public police, we will consider private sector involvement in policing and security | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Indicative Reading List Books:
Articles: None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Other Resources None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||