LMCP5004 Sentencing and Punishment Assignment Brief 2026 | DMU

Faculty of Business and Law Assignment Brief

Assessment Information – What you need to do

This assignment is an individual assignment.

This assignment requires you to create a portfolio, adhering strictly to the above staggered hand in dates, which consists of:

A)(Blog 1) Blog post in relation to the following topic:
Critically assess whether punishment in the criminal justice systems is primarily oriented toward justice, deterrence, or the protection of society, and evaluate the implications of prioritising one aim over the others.

B)(Blog 2) Blog post in relation to the following topic:
Analyse whether the emphasis on rehabilitation in the youth justice system is justified, or does it undermine the accountability and justice often required by victims.

C)(Blog 3) Blog post in relation to the following topic:
Critically assess the arguments for and against the abolition of prisons as we know them today. Consider whether the criminal justice system could function effectively without these institutions.

D)A 500-word written piece summarising your learning on the module.

Instructions

1.All work to be submitted to Turnitin on or before the in-block deadlines stated above.
2.Submit all work as a Word or PDF document, NOT a link to an online blog or an HTML document etc.
3.Three of these submissions are blog posts so whilst you need to use the same techniques as essays at Masters level (balance, arguments supported by evidence, avoiding emotive language, good use of English, proof reading and so on) you can introduce a slightly lighter style of writing when blogging.
4.There is no need to use OSCOLA referencing for the blog posts. Instead, please insert Weblinks, as professional bloggers and journalists do, ‘behind’ the relevant word or phrase If you are unsure about this, see your tutor.
5.The 500-word piece should be written as if an essay and use all the writing skills and techniques you have previously used on such assessments. Put another way, 2 and 3 above do not apply to the 500-word piece.
6.If you have any doubts or queries about any part of this portfolio, speak to your tutor at the earliest opportunity.

Criteria for Assessment - How you will be marked

Your work will be marked against the following criteria:

Accuracy and Content

• The submission identifies all /some / does not identify the issues raised by the tasks set.
• The submission demonstrates significant /some / does not demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the legal rules, criminological theories and principles that relate to those issues.

Structure and Relevance

• The content of this work is/ is partly/ is not relevant and focused.
• The response is/ is partly/ is not well organised – structure is/ is not / is partially clear and logical.

Critical Ability and Analysis

• The work is/ is partly/ is not analytical.
• There is/ is some/ is no evidence of critical ability and evaluation.

Style and Presentation

• Communication of ideas is / is somewhat/ is not clear.
• The submission has/ has not/ has partially been proofread carefully, paying attention to spelling, grammar, etc.

Research and Referencing

• The submission does make/ does not make/ makes some effective use of relevant
  evidence, to support the discussion.
• There is no/ some/ good evidence of wider reading / independent research.
• The work is well/ is adequately/ is not properly referenced, using the OSCOLA method or web links as instructed.
  Further information on University mark descriptors can be found here.

This assignment is designed to assess the following learning outcomes:

1. Critically evaluate key theories of sentencing to formulate suggestions for the development of sentencing policy. (Portfolio)
2. Conceptualise and adapt theories and concepts in penology to evaluate their scope for addressing contemporary problems. (Portfolio)
3. Critically appraise the application of theories of penology to sentencing practice. (Portfolio)
4. Using advanced scholarship formulate and present effective arguments relating to contentious issues in penology. (Portfolio)
5. Critically analyse the role of punishment theory in society (Portfolio)

Assessment Details

The word count is Blog 1 – 1500 words, Blog 2, 1500 words, Blog 3, 1500 words, Summary of learning – 500 words.

There will be a penalty of a deduction of 10% of the mark for work exceeding the word limit by 10% or more.
The word limit includes tables, figures, quotations and citations, but excludes any OSCOLA references and bibliography.

How to Submit your Assessment

The assessment must be submitted by 12:00 noon (GMT/BST) on the dates at the top of this Brief (all Fridays). No paper copies are required. You can access the submission link through the module web.

• Your coursework will be given a zero mark if you do not submit a copy through Turnitin. Please take care to ensure that you have fully submitted your work.
• Please ensure that you have submitted your work using the correct file format, unreadable files will receive a mark of zero. The Faculty accepts Microsoft Office and PDF documents, unless otherwise advised by the module leader.
• All work submitted after the submission deadline without a valid and approved reason will be subject to the University regulations on late submissions.
  oIf an assessment is submitted up to 24 hours late the mark for the work will be capped at the pass mark of 40 per cent for undergraduate modules or 50 per cent for postgraduate modules
  oIf an assessment is submitted beyond 24 hours late the work will receive a mark of zero per cent
  oThe above applies to a student’s first attempt at the assessment. If work submitted as a reassessment of a previously failed assessment task is submitted later than the deadline the work will immediately be given a mark of zero per cent
  oIf an assessment which is marked as pass/fail rather than given a percentage mark is submitted later than the deadline, the work will immediately be marked as a fail
• The University wants you to do your best. However, we know that sometimes events happen which mean that you can’t submit your coursework by the deadline – these events should be beyond your control and not easy to predict. If this happens, you can apply for an extension to your deadline for up to five working days, or if you need longer, you can apply for a deferral, which takes you to the next assessment period (for example, to the re-sit period following the main Assessment Boards). You must apply before the deadline for your assessment. You will find information about applying for extensions and deferrals here.
• Students MUST keep a copy and/or an electronic file of their assignment.
• Checks will be made on your work using anti-plagiarism software and approved plagiarism checking websites.

Return of Marked Work

You can expect to have feedback returned to you on 26th June 2026. If for any reason there is a delay you will be kept informed. Marks and feedback will be provided online It is important that you access the feedback you receive as this will help to make improvements to your later work, you can request a meeting with your Module Leader or Personal Tutor to discuss your feedback in more detail.

Marks will have been internally moderated only, and will therefore be provisional; your mark will be formally agreed later in the year once the external examiner has completed their review.

More information on assessment and feedback can be found here.