Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LH Youth Crime and Justice
School	Birmingham Law School
Department	Law
Module Code	09 24486
Module Lead	Mrs Gooch
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	Law programmes only
Contact Hours	Lecture-33 hours Seminar-6 hours Guided independent study-161 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	The aim of this module is to explore the development of the youth justice system and the criminal justice response to youth crime. The module will focus on the approach in England and Wales but will draw on appropriate comparative examples. Topics include: 1) The Development of the Youth Justice System 2) Conceptions of Childhood 3) Influences on Youth Justice Policy 4) Criminal Responsibility and Capacity 5) Risk and Predictive Factors 6) The Nature and Extent of Youth Crime 7) The Involvement of Girls in Youth Crime 8) Children in Contact with the Police (including Stop and Search, the application of PACE, the Police Interview and the Role of the Appropriate Adult) 9) Diversionary Practices 10) Community Disposals 11) Custodial Disposals 12) Serious Violent and Sexual Offending by Children (including Gang Involvement) 13) The Youth Court (including a critique of the use of the Crown Court) 14) Children’s Rights 15) Comparative and International Youth Justice
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Critique the historical evolution of the youth justice system, demonstrating an awareness of relevant themes covered in the module (including childhood, punishment, the welfare of the child and children’s rights). Analyse and assess the relevance of social, cultural, political and economic factors upon the direction of youth justice policy. Analyse and assess the participation of young people in crime, including an evaluation of relevant predictive factors where appropriate. Critically evaluate and comment upon the criminal justice response to juvenile offenders in relation to the minimum age of criminal responsibility and the capacity of children to participate in criminal proceedings. Critically evaluate the efficacy of the domestic sentencing framework in relation to children, drawing upon comparative approaches as appropriate. Critically comment upon current debates within youth justice policy, discussing areas of reform as appropriate. Demonstrate an understanding and engagement with a variety of primary and secondary sources. Demonstrate legal writing and research skills.
Assessment	24486-01 : Essay 1 : Coursework (25%) 24486-02 : Essay 2 : Coursework (75%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessments: 1 x 2,000 word essays (25%);1 x 4,000 word essays (75%) Reassessment: This is a final year module.
Other
Reading List