Logo UAB
2019/2020

Data Sources in Criminology

Code: 100455 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500257 Criminology FB 1 1

Contact

Name:
Albert Pedrosa Bou
Email:
Albert.Pedrosa@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Other comments on languages

Lectures will be in Catalan. In case of the presence of international students the teaching will be in Spanish. Students may attend seminars in Spanish or in Catalan

Teachers

Helena Mulero Alcaraz
Sandra Sanchez Castro

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The general objective of this course is set out as follows: "The students of the Degree in Criminology will be able to use the methods and techniques of criminological research to analyze the data and experiences of conflict, crime and control in a given social context. Also, students will be able to evaluate, in a thoughtful and critical way, possible responses, and to expose, with academic rigor, the results of their work."
 
In this context, the course of Data Sources in Criminology has the following concrete objectives:
 
1. To enable students to use  databases on delinquency
2. To be able to conect, evaluate, and reflect critically about different data on crime
3. To reach  competentence in academic writing

Competences

  • Ability to analyse and summarise.
  • Accessing and interpreting sources of crime data.
  • Drawing up an academic text.
  • Using research methods in social sciences in order to diagnose criminality problems.
  • Verbally transmitting ideas to an audience.
  • Working autonomously.
  • Working in teams and networking.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Ability to analyse and summarise.
  2. Drawing up an academic text.
  3. Properly applying the research methods in order to analyse crime related figures.
  4. Using the databases about delinquency in criminological researches.
  5. Verbally transmitting ideas to an audience.
  6. Working autonomously.
  7. Working in teams and networking.

Content

The first part of the course provides students with methodological tools which are appropriate to learning and research in the field of criminology. The second part aims to familiarize students with the main indicators of crime.

 1. METHODOLOGICAL TOOLS

Data in criminological research. How to obtain data and how to do a bibliographic research. Bibliographic databases. APA Rules. Basic concepts of Excel.

 2. INTRODUCTION TO DATA SOURCES

 Research and sources of data in criminology. Data on crime and on criminal justice system. Incidence and prevalence of crime. Validity and reliability of different data.

3. OFFICIAL DATA SOURCES

Concept and utility of different sources. National and international sources. Types of official sources: a) Police data; b) Court data, c) Prison data. Critical assessment of different sources.

4. VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS

 Concept and origin of victimization surveys. National and international victimization surveys. Victimization rates in relation to specific crimes. Advantages and disadvantages of victimization surveys.

5. SELF-REPORTED CRIME SURVEYS

 Concept and origin of victimization surveys. Examples of self-reported surveys. Interpretation, validity and problems.

6. INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

 

Methodology

Activities

In order to reach an adequate learning of the contents of the course, students must carry out three types of activities.

Directed activities: which will be done in the classroom, consisting of:

- Lectures given by the teacher, in which the theoretical contents of the course will be examined.

- Seminars and workshops, in which practical activities will be discussed in group.

 Autonomus activities. As a complement to the directed activities, students will work individually and in group, through:

- Group essay. 

- Individual work. Students  will read texts and make essays to prepare the seminars and exams

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Evaluation 3 0.12
Lectures 19.5 0.78 1, 6, 7, 4
Workshops 19.5 0.78 1, 5, 6, 7, 4
Type: Autonomous      
Group and individual work 106 4.24 2, 1, 6, 7, 4

Assessment

1.- Basis of the evaluation
 Evaluation will be carried out continuously throughout the course. Therefore, the regular attendance to the classes (80%) and the accomplishment of the activities detailed below is required.

2.- Conditions to be evaluated and to pass the course

Attendance to the whole course is mandatory. In order to pass the course, students need to attend to a minimum of 80% of the classes, and to participate and deliver all the individual and group avaluable activities planned.

To pass the subject students  need  to obtain a minimum grade of 4 in each of the proposed evaluable activities, and a final mean grade of 5. 

Evaluable activities

Individual activities (80%):

- 5 individual essays (25%)

- Practical exercises of the methodological part (Excel, search and citation of  bibliography) 10% and 15%

- Theoretical exam (30%)

Group activities  (20%)

- A group academic work using criminological data sources and their PwP presentation (20%). A meeting must be held with the tutor and the draft must be sent before the final delivery.

The participation in class that demonstrates that contents of the subject have been reached  will serve to round the final grade up to 0,5 points.

Resit

In cases the student dont reach the minimum mark required,  professors  will offer the possibilityto repeat  those activities that do not reach the minimum. To do this, a resit period will be opened and, if necessary, the professor  will suggest a way to improve  the tasks.

The chance to repeat activities exist only when students have presented the essays in due time, except if the no presentatition is due to a major force cause, with the proper justification. If students don’t delivery activities they will receive a mark of zero except in justified cases.

Fraudulent conducts

Students who are found cheating or attempting to cheat during the exams will receive a mark of 0, loosing the right of reassessment.

Plagiarism in essays  will be graded as 0 with no reassessment of that particular essay or activity.

Punctuality

Lectures and seminars start on time. Late arrival will not be admitted

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Evaluation: Working with data 10% 0 0 3, 1, 6, 4
Group essay 20% 0 0 3, 2, 5, 7, 4
Individual essay: references, academic research and data analysis 15% 0 0 3, 1, 6, 4
Individual essays (Methodological exercises) 25% 0 0 3, 1, 6, 4
Test theoretical part 30% 2 0.08 1, 6

Bibliography

1. Handbook and lectures for consultation

Aebi, M.F., (2008). Temas de criminología. Madrid: Dykinson.

Aebi, M.F. & Chopin, J. (2017). Annual Penal Statistics of the Council Of Europe. SPACEI & SPACE II. Retrieved from: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/prisons/space_i_en.asp 

Dijk, J. V., Kesteren, J. V. & Smit, P. (2007). Criminal victimisation in international perspective. Boom Juridische Uitgevers. Retrieved from: http://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/ob257a-victimizacion-en-la-perspectiva-internacional.aspx

 

2. Mandatory readings

Aebi, M.F. &  Linde, A. (2010). El misterioso caso de la desaparición de las estadísticas policiales españolas. Revista electrónica de ciencia penal y criminologia, 12. Retrieved from: http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=3671632

Aebi, M.F. (2008). Familia disociada y delincuencia. In Aebi, M. F., Temas de criminología (pp.15-50). Madrid: Dykinson.

Aebi, M.F. (2008). Los indicadores de la delincuencia: Sus limitaciones, su complementariedad y su influencia sobre las teorías criminológicas. In Aebi, M.F., Temas de criminología (pp.97-131). Madrid: Dykinson.

García España, E., Díez Ripollés, J. L., Pérez Jiménez, F., Benítez Jiménez, M. J., & Cerezo Domínguez, A. I. (2010). Evolución de la delincuenciaen España: análisis longitudinal con encuestas de victimización. Revista Española de Investigación Criminológica, 8, 1-27. Retrieved from: https://reic.criminologia.net/index.php/journal/article/view/52

Pedrosa, A. (2018). ¿Discrimina el código penal español a las mujeres?. Revista Española de Investigación Criminológica, 16, 1-22. Retrieved from: https://reic.criminologia.net/index.php/journal/article/view/150

Pérez Cepeda, A.I. &  Benito Sánchez, D. (2013). Estudio de los instrumentos existentes para medir la delincuencia. Revista electrónicade ciencia penal y Criminología, 15. Retrieved from: http://criminet.ugr.es/recpc/15/recpc15-08.pdf

Yagüe, C.R. (2018). Un análisis de las estrategias contra la sobrepoblación penitenciaria en España a la luz de los estándares europeos. Revista Electrónica de Ciencia Penal y Criminología, 20 . Retrieved from: http://criminet.ugr.es/recpc/20/recpc20-05.pdf

 

3.-Webs

Asociación catalana de criminólogos - http://www.criminologos.org/

Boletín Criminológico - http://www.uma.es/criminologia/boletin.html

Bureau of justice statistics - http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/

Consejo General del Poder Judicial - http://www.poderjudicial.es/eversuite

Encuesta Social Europea. http://www.upf.edu/ess/

Estadísticas penitenciarias catalanas. http://www.gencat.cat/justicia/estadistiques_serveis_penitenciaris/

Europeansourcerbook - http://www.europeansourcebook.org/

Eurostat. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/home?

Indescat. Web estadística oficial de Catalunya - http://www.idescat.cat/

Instituto Nacional de Estadística - http://www.ine.es/

Memorias Fiscalia General del Estado - http://www.fiscal.es/Documentos.html?cid=1240559967610&pagename=PFiscal%2FPage%2FFGE_sinContenido

Ministerio del interior (español). Instituciones penitenciarias - http://www.mir.es/INSTPEN/

Revista electrónicade ciencias penales y criminología - http://criminet.ugr.es/recpc/

Sociedad Española de investigacióncriminológica (SEIC)- http://www.criminologia.net/reic.html

 

*Addittional readings will be provided to students through moodle resource