Blog
Starting a Criminology course soon? To help you get a head start, we have put together a list of things you can do from home to get prepared and clued up.
Read
There are many reports and pieces of literature you can read to get you up to speed with the ins and outs of Criminology, no matter what your specialism.
50 Facts Everyone Should Know about Crime & Punishment in Britain (Treadwell & Lynes, 2019)
This book presents 50 key facts related to crime and criminal justice policy in Britain. Offering thought-provoking insights into the study of crime, revealing the myths and realities of crime in contemporary Britain.
The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019
This report gives a good summary of our police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy in England and takes a look at the quality of the police response to the public health emergency created by COVID-19. There is also a related article discussing a potential rise in crime at the end of lockdown.
Video Games Crime and Next-Gen Deviance
A book written by some of our course team, this draws upon what is taught in lectures and seminars and includes topics such as white collar criminality, death caused by swatting, and gambling mechanisms embedded in video games. This book is critical of orthodox accounts of gaming and online criminality and deviancy, and therefore is an excellent primer for a critical module exploring such topics and notions.
Some other reading materials available via our library or online include:
- Bromley Briefings - Prison Factfile (Prison Reform Trust, 2022). A briefing paper that sets out the state of our prisons, with a focus on sentencing and people in prison.
- The British Society of Criminology Blog. Learn about current issues on crime, criminology, and criminal justice with regular posts from criminology experts.
- Policing Vision 2025. This document sets out the plan for policing over the next ten years. All Chief Constables and Police and Crime commissioners across England and Wales have signed up to this vision.
- The Police Foundation’s Blog. This blog series explores some of the big policing and crime issues of the day from an evidence-based perspective.
Criminology at BCU
Find out more about our Criminology course
Watch
As well as reading, we also recommend watching some crime-related documentaries. Here are some of our top picks, available on Netflix.
When They See Us
A timely miniseries that tells the harrowing true story of the Central Park Five. This series exposes racial injustice and the life-changing effects of wrongful convictions.
I Am A Killer
This documentary series explores individuals convicted of homicide offences, drawing on their own testimony as a way of making sense of murder.
How to Fix a Drugs Scandal
An expose of drug testing in a US laboratory, which sheds light on the political economy of criminal justice and potential abuses within forensic science.
Nail Bomber: Manhunt
This documentary examines the 1999 London bombings that targeted Black, Bangladeshi and gay communities, and the race to find the far-right perpetrator.
Volunteer
All students following the BA (Hons) Criminology and associated pathways are encouraged to undertake voluntary work in a statutory or voluntary agency within the Criminal Justice System during their time at the University. Please find attached a useful resource about volunteering in criminal justice created by our current criminology students. New students may find this helpful when looking for work experience.