Safety, Security and Crime

Module code: CR1515

The remit of security officers and managers often brings them into contact with the law and the legal system. In this module you will learn about the Criminal Justice System - including the roles of the police, prosecutors and the courts - and examine the process of investigation and prosecution of offenders in terms of the formal and informal delivery of justice. We will discuss traditional and contemporary theories around why people commit crime and how to prevent crime, including those influenced by psychology, psychiatry, legal philosophy, sociology and indeed many other disciplines.

Looking more specifically at the interaction between private security and the police service, we will consider issues of accountability and regulation in both sectors, looking at the mechanisms currently in place and some of the limitations. We will investigate the powers of enforcement held by both public and private police and the difficulty of balancing the ability to provide security with the need to limit those powers. Finally we will look at Health and Safety and its relevance to risk and security managers, including the development of regulation and legislation in the UK and the EU.

Topics covered

• Introduction to criminology
• Criminal justice: system and process
• Public policing and private security: enforcement and regulation
• Health and safety: the law in action