45208 - Security Policies

Learning outcomes

The course aims to approach the issue of security from many points of view.

At the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyze different security strategies applied to different contexts.

Course contents

 The security concept has been at the heart of political, social and media debates in recent decades, analysed by means of different theories. From time to time, these theories try to explain this emergency and highlight their potential causes.

The evolution of both common and organised crime leads to greater vulnerability among all parties, both public or private, involved in generating wealth; in addition, natural disasters or disasters brought about by human action are rendering the earth increasingly vulnerable in a number of countries throughout the world.

Consequently, security becomes fundamental and is closely connected with the concept of risk: it is essential to have a clear picture of the state of the art of the scientific development of security and criminology, since security, within the dynamics of social events, is conditioned by many factors, and is thus considered a polysemantic term.

Therefore, both public authorities and the private sector have developed different programmes, with the help of experts from various backgrounds and areas of expertise, in order to respond to security issues. Many organisations, public and private bodies have assigned to security many specific areas of their activities. For example, municipalities, the public transport operators, the large retail sector, museums, libraries, schools, and the NGOs sector.

 

Classes will be held in the first semester (from September to December 2020).

Readings/Bibliography

1) Tonellotto M., La sicurezza nelle organizzazioni. Un approccio socio-criminologico alla security aziendale, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2017.

2) Cordner G. W., “Community Policing. Elements and Effects”, in Dunham R.G., Alpert G.P. (eds.), Critical Issues in Policing: Contemporary Readings, Waveland Press, 2015. Available at:  http://secure.expertsmind.com/attn_files/2303_chp-24.pdf

3) Cennamo A., Veratti D., "L’organizzazione dello spazio e la percezione della paura nelle politiche della sicurezza urbana.Il muro nei processi di inclusione (ed esclusione) sociale in Brasile e in Italia", in Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VI, n. 1, gennaio-aprile 2012, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_cennamo-veratti_2012-01.pdf

4) Viano E., "Globalization, the Information Society and New Crimes: the Challenge for the XXI Century", in Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VI, n. 2, maggio-agosto 2012, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_viano_2012-02.pdf

5) Batella W., Ribeiro Lopes C.J., "Organizzazione spaziale e reti comunitarie come strategie di contrasto alla criminalità urbana", in Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VI, n. 3, settembre-dicembre 2012, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_batella-ribeirolopes_2012-03.pdf

6) Raiteri M., “Decriminalizzare la povertà? A proposito del rilancio sopranazionale di un dibattito, Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. XIII, n. 2, maggio-agosto 2019 available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_raiteri_201902.pdf

7) Balloni A., "Il contributo delle scienze criminologiche per la formazione degli esperti nel settore della sicurezza", Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VII, n. 1, gennaio-aprile 2013, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_balloni_2013-01.pdf

8) Bisi R., "Scienze criminologiche e spazio urbano", Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VIII, n. 1, gennaio-aprile 2014, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_bisi_2014-01.pdf

9) Sette R., "Società sicure e mutamento sociale: possibili sfide per il futuro", Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VIII, n. 1, gennaio-aprile 2014, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_sette_2014-01.pdf

10) Parmentier S., "Urban Security and Prevention of Victimisation: Some Reflections on the Occasion of the Bologna World Crime Forum", Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VIII, n. 1, gennaio-aprile 2014,available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_parmentier_2014-01.pdf

 

For regular attendees the bibliography for the exam preparation will be recommended by the teacher during lessons

 

 

Readings for Erasmus Students:

1) Kronberga I., “Early prevention of the antisocial behaviour of youth: situation in Latvia”, Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. IX, n. 2, Maggio-agosto 2015, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_kronberga_2015-02.pdf

2) Parmentier S., "Urban Security and Prevention of Victimisation: Some Reflections on the Occasion of the Bologna World Crime Forum", Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VIII, n. 1, gennaio-aprile 2014, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_parmentier_2014-01.pdf

3) Viano E., "Globalization, the Information Society and New Crimes: the Challenge for the XXI Century", in Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VI, n. 2, maggio-agosto 2012, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_viano_2012-02.pdf

4) Zarafonitou C., “Victims’ insecurity and criminal policy: The role of victim’s support services”, Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, vol. VIII, n. 1, gennaio-aprile 2014, available at: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/articolo_zarafonitou_2014-01.pdf

5) Cordner G. W., “Community Policing. Elements and Effects”, in Dunham R.G., Alpert G.P. (eds.), Critical Issues in Policing: Contemporary Readings, Waveland Press, 2015. Available at: http://secure.expertsmind.com/attn_files/2303_chp-24.pdf

Teaching methods

Course methodology: lectures and participatory activities.

Lectures (20 hours online classrooms with MS TEAMS) aim to introduce students to the core concepts of the discipline. Participatory learning (12 hours) is the body of the lesson, where students are involved as actively in the learning process as possible. Examples of active learning activities: group discussions, watching and comment multimedia materials, peer instruction, peer assessment, case studies, individual/group student presentations during lessons related to analyzed topics.

For the participatory section of the course, students will be divided in two groups according to their preferences and according to the Covid-19 health response to protect students, staff, teachers and their families. One group will attend the participatory lessons in the classroom (12 hours) and the other online with MS TEAMS (12 hours). In total, each student will attend 32 hours of lessons.

Students are required to carefully read the assigned material before the session and to actively participate.

In any case, students can attend all class lessons online with MS TEAMS.

 

Despite the fact that it is not compulsory, course attendance is highly recommended.

Assessment methods

The assessment of the degree of preparation will vary according to the attendance or non-attendance of lessons.

The final exam will consist of a written text composed of open questions. Grades are expressed in thirtieths. 

 

The written test will be evaluated through a combination of the three following factors: 1) coherence of the answer to the question; 2) accuracy, argumentative correctness, and terminological appropriateness; 3) quality of explanation and, where appropriate, the use of examples.

The student’s ability to find information in the literature and other educational materials in order to ascertain whether the learning objectives have been met will be highly evaluated. The student’s attainment of a complete view of the topics covered in the course, along with their critical analysis, a demonstration of having an adequate expressive mastery and a specific language, will be evaluated with high marks. Less well articulated knowledge mostly from memory, the ability to understand, analyze, and summarize, a language not always appropriate, will be evaluated with lower marks. If the study of the topics covered in the course is basic but is accompanied by educational gaps and inappropriate language, the marks will not be more than passing grades. Educational gaps, inappropriate language, lack of capacity to find information in the literature and other educational materials will lead to negative marks.

 

To take the examination students must enroll in the AlmaEsami with the deadlines required. Students who are unable to enroll within the due date must inform the secretarial office promptly. The teacher will decide if they can take the exam or not.

 

For students without attendance records, the final exam will consist of a written text composed of four open questions (exam duration: 80 minutes). For each question there are 7.5 points assigned max.

For students with good attendance records, assessment will be the following:

1) there will be one written exam at the end of online lessons and one at the end of the course (20points assigned max);

2) the assessment of the degree of preparation will also be made through the activities done during classes (10 point assigned max). 

Erasmus and overseas students can use Italian, English or French for the written examination.

Teaching tools

Policy on the Use of Technology in the Classroom. Students who would like to use voice recorders for class lectures are kindly invited to ask for the explicit permission of the professor in order to do so.

PC and videoprojector (when in classroom). Web resources (both in classroom and online).

During lectures, the professor will use Power Point presentations and other material that will be published on the website: https://iol.unibo.it

These documents do not substitute the compulsory reading materials, but they are supplementary and constitute a study guide to help gain a better understanding of the course contents.

Links to further information

http://www.cirvis.eu

Office hours

See the website of Raffaella Sette