Compulsory topics

• Topic 1: Penology. Theories of justification of punishment. Penitentiary system. Alternative punishments to prison. Juvenile penal system. Public opinion and punishment. European trends in the regulation of alternative punishments and prison punishments. Contemporary research on alternative punishments and prison punishments.
• Topic 2: Criminology. Theories of Criminology. Contemporary research to test criminological theories. Training programs. Reinsertion programs. Victimology.
• Topic 3: Methodology. Methods of investigation in penology: quantitative and qualitative. Introduction to scientific work. Plan for thesis.
• Topic 4: Research Initiation: Final Thesis. Design of an integral project. Carrying out a research project in the field of criminology and penology.

Elective topics*

• Topic 5: Crime. Organized crime. Economic and business delinquency. Common crime. Juvenile crime. New forms of crime: delinquency and new technologies. Temporary evolution of crime; data analysis.
• Topic 6: Criminal Justice System. Police. Criminal proceedings and precautionary measures. Prison and penitentiary law. Women and criminal system. Immigration and criminal system.

* The elective topics may change from one course to another.

** Students from the Degree in Criminology at UPF will be able to attend the subject "Methodology", which will be taught in English, in the Research Master in Sociology and Demography. They will be able to choose up to 9 ECTS of elective courses in the Master of Legal Science or the Master in Sociology and Demography. Finally, they will be able to join in the seminars of the Criminology and Criminal Justice System Research Group at UPF.