Course Catalogue

Justice Studies

This module will examine the difficulties that exist during a criminal investigation involving drugs. Further this module will assist with the identification of illicit drugs that face modern policing. This involves the exploration of the side-effects of said drugs and how to recognise certain drug side-effects and the role they play in criminal investigations. Aims: 1. To induce students to the foundational concepts of drug investigations to understand, explain, analyse, and evaluate the consequences of drugs and their involvement in certain crimes. 2. To encourage students to reflect upon, explain, and evaluate critical evidence beyond a basic first responder to various drug related incidents. 3. To critically engage with, explain, analyse, and evaluate the central issues surrounding drug investigations, with an emphasis on how to recognise what certain drugs look like and what the side-effects are for said drugs.

Outline Syllabus:
Complex Case and Serious Case Management; Crime Scene Investigation and Searching for Evidence; Crime Scene Documentation and Recognition; Protection, Documentation, and Collection of Physical Evidence; Crime Scene Safety; Fundamentals of Forensic Analysis of Drugs/ Using Forensic Evidence in Drugs Investigations; Ethics and Corruption within Drugs Investigations; Legal and Operational Frameworks

Module Overview:
This module will examine the unique difficulties posited during a drugs investigation and the importance of investigative ethics. It aims to:

• examine the impact that drugs have upon criminal behaviour and criminal tactics 
• make you capable of ‘problem-solving’ in the field of drugs investigations
• assist in the recognition of drug-related items and the differences between specific drugs

Additional Information:
This module takes cognisance of the National Occupational Standards – AA1, AB, AE1 & CB1. This module takes cognisance of the National Occupational Standards- CB1 / CJ101 / GC10 & BE2.