Accredited Course in Criminology with Professor David Wilson

This lecture introduces criminology as an academic subject, which focuses on crime, criminals, and criminal justice through a multi-disciplinary approach. The lecture examines the challenges of defining crime, which is not fixed but constantly evolving and influenced by societal norms and power dynamics. The lecture also explores different theoretical perspectives in criminology, such as individualistic and sociological approaches. The lecture challenges popular misconceptions that criminology is solely about profiling serial killers or blood spatter analysis and encourages students to embrace a broader and more nuanced understanding of the subject. By the end of the lecture, students will have gained an appreciation of the complexity of criminology as an academic discipline, its multidisciplinary approach, and its importance in understanding and addressing crime and criminal justice issues.

This lecture focuses on the first of the two foundational theoretical paradigms of criminology: Classicism. The lecture explores Classicism as a theoretical tradition that emphasises free will, individual responsibility, and deterrence. Classicism looks back towards classical philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates but is mostly associated with Cesare Bonesana, the Marchese di Beccaria, and his book “Of Crimes and Punishments” published in 1764. Beccaria believed in deterrence by creating a system of deterrents and making punishment swift, inevitable, and visible. He also believed that the punishment should fit the crime and that people were rational and would weigh up the benefits and debits of behaving in a particular way. The lecture raises questions about the validity of Classicism in modern times, the role of free will, and how individual circumstances can impact decision-making. By the end of the lecture, students will have gained an understanding of Classicism, its key ideas, and its relevance in contemporary criminology.

In this Deep Dive, Professor David Wilson explores the relevance of Classicism in contemporary society

The lecture explores the theory of Positivism in criminology, which emphasises the biological, psychological, or genetic factors that contribute to an individual's likelihood of committing a crime. This theory rejects the idea of free will and instead emphasises determinism, where offenders are driven to commit crimes by forces beyond their control. The lecture discusses the work of Cesare Lombroso, who suggested that offenders were atavistic throwbacks to an earlier form of human development and could be identified by physical features such as high cheekbones and insensitivity to pain. The lecture also considers modern research in genetics and brain scans and their potential to identify a "criminal gene."

In this Deep Dive, Professor David Wilson takes us beyond the foundational understanding of Positivism and delves into its relevance in contemporary society. This Podcast draws upon a diverse array of recent research to explore how the application of scientific methods can assist us in making sense of the crime today.

The Criminal Justice System (CJS) aims to deliver justice by convicting and punishing offenders, helping them to stop reoffending, and ultimately protecting society from crime. However, the CJS is a complex system with tensions and divisions between its components. Questions arise regarding working cultures, shared values, and conflicts between the release of rehabilitated prisoners and community concerns. The lecture introduces two models of the CJS: the due process model, which emphasises fairness and defendants' rights, and the crime control model, which prioritises crime reduction and punishment. The lecture also mentions the medical and bureaucratic models, highlighting the various influences and conflicts that shape CJS policy.

This lecture explores the idea of whether crime is rising or falling, stating that it is not a simple question to answer due to various factors. The lecture suggests that criminologists and the public alike should treat crime statistics with care and highlights the challenges in collecting accurate data on crime. The two main sources of data are the Official Crime Statistics and the Crime Survey of England and Wales.The lecture reveals that the recorded crime statistics often do not capture the true extent of crime and that the British Crime Survey provides a more accurate picture, although it too has its limitations. The lecture aims to encourage students to think critically about crime statistics.

This lecture critically examines the four main theoretical justifications for imprisonment: incapacitation, deterrence, rehabilitation, and retribution. Professor Wilson challenges common sense justifications for punishment and questions their effectiveness by presenting evidence and real-life examples. The lecture highlights the complexities and limitations of each justification. It discusses how incapacitation, intended to prevent crime by removing individuals from society, may not always work due to criminal activities within prisons.The concept of deterrence is explored, considering rational decision-making by potential offenders and the potential factors that undermine its effectiveness. The poor record of rehabilitation in reducing re-offending rates is examined, highlighting the negative effects of prison on offenders. The episode also questions the rationale for retribution and compares the UK's punitive approach to imprisonment with that of other European countries. The lecture concludes by encouraging reflection on the interview with Noel Razor Smith, exploring the role of punishment in his life and its potential for deterrence, as well as considering the influence of media in shaping perceptions of punishment.

In this lecture, Professor Wilson explores the influence of the media on our perception of crime. He begins by revealing that the clear-up rate for murder in England and Wales, challenging the common belief that forensic science and DNA analysis are the main factors behind successful investigations. He then explains that most murders involve perpetrators who know their victims, and the police often solve these crimes by examining mobile phone records and social networks. The low clear-up rate guessed by students is attributed to the media's portrayal of murders, which tends to focus on cases involving stranger perpetrators and dramatic storytelling. The lecture the concept of "newsworthiness" and how the media selects crimes that shock, frighten, and entertain. The lecture also highlights the media's portrayal of women who offend, the perception of "ideal victims," and the creation of moral panics around specific youth subcultures or societal issues.