Module: Crime & Psychology

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Crime & Psychology
Module Code	PSY1053 (ITS: PSYC409)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Psychology
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module aims to provide students with core knowledge and understanding of approaches to explaining criminal behaviour and its impact upon individuals and society. Moreover, it will give an account of psychological factors that help explain crime at both a general level and in terms of specific offences. It looks at how crime commission, crime detection and crime reduction are influenced by psychological factors.

Learning Outcomes

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2. 1. Critically evaluate psychological factors in the explanation of crime
5. 1
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7. 2. Formulate and evaluate explanations of criminality in different groups of offenders.
10. 2
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12. 3. Appreciate how psychological principles can be used to understand and reduce crime
15. 3
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17. 4. Outline the impact of criminal behaviour on victims of crime
20. 4
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22. Produce a substantive piece of relevant academic writing, that clearly demonstrates mastery of knowledge, understanding and critical reasoning.
25. 5

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	No Description
Tutorial	6	Student Directed Tutorials
Independent Study	95	including preparation of position paper, tutorial presentations and exam preparation
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20975	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	50%	Examination Weight	50%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Lorraine Boran	Module Teacher	Sinead Smyth

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Participation	Students will prepare a position paper on criminality in different groups of offenders	50%	n/a
Formal Examination	Students will be required to sit a formal. end of semester, two hour exam that will allow them the opportunty to demonstate their academic and transversal skills in respect of crime and psychology.	50%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

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

The Causes of Crime
Psychological approaches to understanding crime Theories of offending Effects of interpersonal crime on victims

Investigating crime
Eyewitness evidence Interviewing vulnerable witnesses Interviewing suspects Intimate partner violence and stalking

Dealing with Offenders
Crime and Punishment – does it work? Risk assessment and offender programmes Interventions with high risk offenders Offender rehabilitation

Crime and Offecnce Typology & Classification
Serious Crime including homicide, sexual offences and arson

Mental Health & Crime
Population of mentally ill incarcerated National and international trends Psychopathic offenders: diagnosis and treatment, Population of mentally ill incarcerated, National and international trends

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Davies, G., Hollin, C. & Bull: 2012, Forensic Psychology, Chichester: Wiley, 9781119998921
D.A. Andrews, James Bonta,: 2010, The Psychology of Criminal Conduct, Fifth Edition, 9781422463291
Curt R. Bartol (Editor), Anne M. Bartol (Editor): 2011, Current Perspectives in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Behavior, 9781412992442
Curt R. Bartol, Anne M. Bartol,: 2011, Introduction to Forensic Psychology, 9781412991759
James McGuire: 2004, Understanding psychology and crime, 9780335211197
edited by Clive R. Hollin: 2004, The essential handbook of offender assessment and treatment, 9780470854365
Craig, Gannon & Dixon: 2013, What works in offender rehabilitation: an evidence based approach to treatment and assessment, Chichester: Wiley, 9781119974567
Chamberlain, J.: 2012, Understanding criminological research, Sage, 9781446208588
Eastin, M.: 2013, encyclopedia of media violence, Sage, 9781412936859
Gary Paul Green, Anna Haines: 0, Asset building & community development, Thousand Oaks, Calif. ; Sage Publications, c2002., 9780761922634
Phyllis B. Gerstenfeld.: 0, Hate crimes, Thousand Oaks; Sage Publications, 9781452256627
Ronald M. Holmes: 0, Profiling Violent Crimes, Sage Pubns, 300, 9781412959988
0: When crime waves, Sage, 2005, 9780761927839, 1701381
0: A Psychologist's Casebook of Crime, Palgrave Macmillan, 288, 9780230242739, 1701382
0: Evolutionary forensic psychology, Oxford ; Oxford University Press, 2008., 9780195325188, 1701383
0: Discovery of hidden crime, Oxford [Oxfordshire]; Oxford University Press, 9780199639199, 1701384
0: The Oxford Handbook of Crime Prevention, Oxford University Press, USA, 560, 9780195398823, 1701385
0: Forensic psychology, Oxford ; Oxford University Press, 2010., 9780199550203,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

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