using what you have learned in this course unpack the key

STEP 1. Select a THEORY OF CRIMINOLOGY for your essay
o This should be one of the criminological theories we have looked at in this unit 

(e.g. Classical / Positivism / Strain / Labelling Marxism / Critical Criminology / Rational Choice etc.) 

IMPORTANT NOTE: You cannot select ‘social contract’ theory OR the same theory you studied for your group project as the topic for your essay. Make sure you pick one of the topics that are listed as chapters in the White, Haines and Asquith book. DONT USE SURVEILLANCE THEORY. 

• STEP 2. Write an essay plan. Guidance on how to write an essay plan can be found in the MAJOR ESSAY FAQs. 

PLANNING FEEDBACK: (internal students) Bring your essay plan to the essay writing workshop for discussion and feedback. (external students) contact the unit convenor by email for feedback on your essay plan 

• STEP 3. Write up your essay. 

TIPS ON CONTENT 

The following are very important topics that must be addressed: 

1. Offer a clear and concise definition of institutions and organisations, as explored in key readings from week 1 & 2, in the weekly lectures and student activities.
    
2. Make sure that you identify:
    
   1. Key institutions that were influential at that time
       
   2. Key organisations that were influential at that time
       
3. A good essay will also demonstrate critical thinking through analysis, for example:
    
   1. Show how the theory being discussed empowered institutional change
       
   2. Show how the key organisations opened or limited access to privileges
       
   3. Discuss how access to privilege affected either the understanding of social order or the
      mechanisms and techniques of social control at that time
       
   4. How the emergence of a new criminological theory at that time influenced, reinforced or
      challenged the dominant social order of the day
       
4. REMEMBER that this essay question is an application of the institutions and organisations matrix that we used throughout the term to focus our discussions. In your essay you should focus on the time period appropriate to the emergence of the theory being discussed.