Psychopathology, Drugs and Crime, 7.5 credits

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

• Describe and explain basic concepts related to psychopathology and developmental psychopathology.
• Describe and explain how common psychopathologies/psychiatric diagnoses are related to various forms of crime and other types of antisocial behaviors as well as how these relations may be moderated by age, gender, and ethnicity.
• Describe and explain how common drugs are related to various forms of crime and other types of antisocial behaviors and how these relations may be moderated by age, gender, and ethnicity.
• Describe and critically assess common approaches used to assess mental health, diagnoses and drug use.
• Reflect on, based on theory and research, how mental health and its relation to various types of crime and antisocial behavior is presented in different contexts.
• Reflect on how knowledge about psychopathologies/psychiatric diagnoses and drugs and their relation to crime and other types of antisocial behaviors can be used to develop effective interventions, including crime preventive and safety promoting strategies.

Content

This course deals with the central concepts within the field. The course also involves an orientation in current research in the field including research on various forms of psychopathology over the life-span (e.g., child disorders such as ADHD, and adult disorders such as personality disorders, etc.) and drug use (with an emphasis on alcohol) in relation to crime. The course involves discussions about how this kind of research differs from the presentations of psychopathology and drugs in relation to crime, and especially violent crime, in the media and other non-scientific sources and how insights from this research can be used in developing effective crime prevention strategies.

Examinations and grades

Psychopathology, Drugs, and Crime I, 5 credits (Code: A001)
Grades used are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Psychopathology, Drugs, and Crime II, 2.5 credits (Code: A002)
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 6, Section 18, a grade is to be awarded on the completion of a course, unless otherwise prescribed by the university. The university may determine which grading system is to be used. The grade must be determined by a teacher specifically nominated by the university (the examiner).

In accordance with university regulations on grading systems for first and second-cycle courses and study programmes (Vice-Chancellor’s decision ORU 2018/00929), one of the following grades is to be used: fail (U), pass (G) or pass with distinction (VG). For courses included in an international master’s programme (60 or 120 credits) or offered to the university’s incoming exchange students, the A to F grading scale is to be used. The vice-chancellor, or a person appointed by them, may decide on exceptions from this provision for a specific course, if there are special grounds for doing so.

The grades used on this course are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Comments on grades

To obtain a passing grade for the course as a whole, a minimum of grade E is required for all components on the course. To arrive at a course grade, the grades awarded for each examination assignment, grades A-E, are first converted to the numerical values 5-1. An average value is then calculated, also taking into account the number of credits for each examination in relation to the total number of credits for the course. The course grade is thus awarded by means of a weighted average of the examination assignments included on the course.

Modes of assessment

Psychopathology, Drugs, and Crime I, 5 credits (Code: A001)
Written examination

Psychopathology, Drugs, and Crime II, 2.5 credits (Code: A002)
Oral examination and written assignment

For students with a documented disability, the university may approve applications for adapted or other modes of assessment.

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations.

Specific entry requirements

One year full-time studies in behavioural and/or social sciences.

For further information, see the university's admission regulations.

Other provisions

The course is given in English.

If a deadline has been specified for turning in an exam or written assignment, exams/assignment submitted after deadline will not be marked.

Students who have been admitted to and registered on a course have the right to receive tuition and/or supervision for the duration of the time period specified for the particular course to which they were accepted (see, the university's admission regulations (in Swedish)). After that, the right to receive tuition and/or supervision expires.

Reading list and other learning resources

Required Reading

Schug, Robert A. & Fradella, Henry F. (2015)
Mental illness and crime
Los Angeles: SAGE, 573 pages

Articles and other material, maximum 1000 pages, will be added as mandatory literature and specified in the study guide at the beginning of the course.

Additions and comments to literature list

If there is a newer edition of the listed book/books, then the listed edition or the new edition can be used.