Welcome to Criminology at Reigate College.
My name is Daniel Sharp and I’m the Head of Department for the Criminology, Eduqas Level 3 Applied Diploma. We’re very much looking forward to welcoming you to the department in person at the start of the academic year. In the meantime, we’d like you to do some research into the subject by completing a series of tasks and activities.
Criminology will be a new subject for most of you, so it’s important you know what to expect when you start. We’ve put together some tasks and activities for you to carry out on your own, and then when we meet together in September, we can share what you’ve discovered.
The tasks are organised in three distinct steps and should all be completed by Choices Day on 25 August 2026. This is to give you the best insight into what the courses will be like and/or help prepare you for them.
Please note, some Course Leaders (for example for Music) may release their tasks earlier, as they may form part of the College’s audition process. If this applies to you, you’ll be notified separately.
New Starters Course Tasks and Activities
| Release date | Suggested Completion Dates | |
| Explore your Subject | 1 June | 1 July |
| Get Going | 1 June | 1 August |
| Aim High | 1 June | 1 September |
Criminology is the study of crime, criminal behaviour, and the criminal justice system. At Reigate College, students follow the WJEC Level 3 Applied Diploma in Criminology – a two-year course that combines academic theory with practical investigation. You’ll explore why people commit crime, how laws are made and enforced, how the media shapes public perceptions, and how the justice system works from crime scene to courtroom. This qualification is ideal for students interested in careers in law, policing, forensics, psychology, or the wider criminal justice sector, and is equivalent to one A-Level.
Task 1:
Ahead of your first lesson In September it is essential you come prepared!
Using computers, research and complete summaries for the following types of crime.
Make sure your notes for these are printed and brought to the first lesson in September – these will be put in your class folders!
Task 2
Criminological Theories
One of the units we study in Criminology is ‘Criminological Theories.’ A key theme of this is understanding the difference between crime and deviance.
This task is for your broader knowledge to come with an understanding for the course.
Research the definitions for crime and deviance and consider the different factors that might influence whether a behaviour is criminal or deviant.
Write a paragraph explaining the difference between crime and deviance and provide examples of behaviours.
Use the link below to look at crimes in your local area by typing in your postcode.
https://www.police.uk/pu/your-area
Now answer the following questions:
- What is the most reported type of crime in your area?
- Click on the ‘crime map’ tab. Where seems to be the ‘hotspot’ for criminal activity? Can you suggest why this might be the case?
- Click on the ‘statistics’ tab. What’s the general trend from looking at the graph over the last year? Has crime increased or decreased over the year?
- Can you suggest resources that should be implemented in the area to combat these crimes?
- Do your own research and find out how crime levels changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Write a paragraph summarising these changes. Can you suggest why this might be the case? Are there differences depending on what the crime is? Include references underneath your paragraph (i.e. where did you get your information and statistics from?)
Task 3
What is your typing speed? Make sure to log your WPM score and bring to first lesson! https://www.typingtest.com/
Extra Resources
TV programmes:
BBC Two: Forensics: the real CSI
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/catching-a-killer
Books:
Wilson J Q and Herrnstein R J Crime & Human Nature: The Definitive Study of the Causes of Crime (Free Press, 1998) ISBN 9780684852669
Muncie J and McLaughlin E (editors) The Problem of Crime (Sage Publications Ltd, 2001) ISBN 9780761969716
Becker H S Outsiders: Studies in Sociology of Deviance (Simon & Schuster Ltd, 1997) ISBN 9780684836355
Swale J (2007) Sociology of Crime & Deviance (Philip Allan Updates) ISBN 9781844896332
Website:
To achieve top grades in Criminology at Reigate College, students need to go beyond basic knowledge and show confident use of subject-specific terminology, real case studies, and critical evaluation. High-achieving students regularly review their feedback, redraft their work, and actively engage with wider reading, documentaries, and current criminal justice issues. Distinction-level work is well structured, accurate, and shows the ability to apply criminological theories to real-life examples and evaluate how effectively the criminal justice system works in practice.
Resources to Help You Aim High (These are not essential but will help if you wish to take the subject further into University. Remember we will also provide you with a range of resources when you get to College.
WJEC Criminology Student Textbook – by Napier et al.
Covers Units 1–4 with practice questions and case studies.
Criminology: A Sociological Introduction – by Carrabine et al.
Stretch reading to develop your understanding of crime types, policy, and theory.
BBC iPlayer/4OD/Any streaming platform/YouTube – SO many good Crime shows! For example:
The Detectives: Fighting Organised Crime
Real UK police investigations that link directly to Unit 4 and criminal justice effectiveness.
24 Hours in Police Custody (Channel 4, often available via BBC platforms or My5)
In-depth look into real-time investigations by UK police,
Murder 24/7 (BBC Two)
Covering Essex and West Mercia Police forces,
Official WJEC Criminology Specification & Past Papers
Stay exam-ready by downloading the full specification, unit summaries, and past paper resources from the WJEC Criminology webpage.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction to some of the topics we’ll be exploring in Criminology and I look forward to seeing the work you’ve produced when we start the course.
Head of Criminology
