Diploma in Penology & Prison Studies – January 2021

Delivered by leading academics and prison experts, the purpose of the Diploma in Penology & Prison studies is to equip learners (from a variety of professional or interested backgrounds) with an understanding of the origins of punishment and sentencing in Ireland. Students will consider, sentencing, criminology and “What Works” when it comes to best prison practice. All lectures will be related to various theories of crime and offending. At the end of the course, learners will have a detailed understanding of how a modern prison system operates and indeed survives from both a theoretical and practical perspective.

During this course the student will learn how to identify certain types of criminals and their likely behaviours within the prison environment. In particular they will look at how both prisoner and prison officer exist both together and separately in a modern prison environment. They will also learn about the context in which the prison system currently sits in Ireland including sentencing policies and the likely direction of the Irish Prison Service into the future.