From Crime to Punishment: an Introduction to Criminal Justice

What happens when a crime is allegedly committed in England and Wales? Now’s your chance to find out. On this course you’ll follow a suspect through the journey of investigation, prosecution and adjudication. You’ll step inside the courtroom - discovering how criminal justice processes work - and learn about the criminal law and key institutions like the police and the courts.

This course is aimed at those with a good secondary education and an interest in law and/or criminal justice. The level is undergraduate level 1, so equivalent to the first year of a degree course. You do not need any prior knowledge of the field, but a keen interest in criminal justice is essential.

This course is aimed at those with a good secondary education and an interest in law and/or criminal justice. The level is undergraduate level 1, so equivalent to the first year of a degree course. You do not need any prior knowledge of the field, but a keen interest in criminal justice is essential.

• Identify different definitions of ‘crime’
• Describe, in basic terms, key processes in criminal justice including investigation, prosecution, defence, adjudication and sentencing
• Develop a reasoned view on the values underpinning criminal justice processes in England and Wales, and on the effectiveness of institutions including police, lawyers, and courts