Crime Prevention

Abstract

"Crime Prevention" is the second phase of the TOG-funded project "Crime Issue", which was initiated by Dr. Jessica Li (SS) and implemented in 2008 and 2009. Similar to the first phase, the project's second phase covered a wide range of teaching and learning activities inside and outside the classroom, such as online surveys, field visits, guest seminars, newsletter production and a forum. The project is supported by the University Teaching Development Grant (TOG) of HK$173,335. It aims to develop the critical thinking and analytical skills of students through investigating social crime issues by covering a wide range of teaching and learning activities and emphasizing interactive and out-of-classroom teaching and learning. Thirty-five students were successfully recruited as project participants. The majority of the participants are Criminology students, and the others come from disciplines that include Psychology, Applied Sociology, Translation, Accounting, Electronic Engineering and Law. The results so far indicate that the students have benefited from joining the project. A great difference was observed in the pre- and post-test scores, with students' rating of their competence in "demonstrating an advanced knowledge of relevant public discourse, research literature and theoretical foundations of the issue under study" before and after taking part in the project increasing from 6.6 to 8 (N=35) in 2010 out of a total score of 10.