08.07.2004
A six day summer school, organised by the University of Brighton, on the study of crime – Cracking Crime: An Intelligent Investigation - will give sixty 16 year olds a taste of university life.
The project - aimed at potential A-level students with no family history of higher education – is intended to help them decide whether university is right for them.
The summer school runs from Sunday 11 to Friday 16 July and the whole experience is planned to resemble the process of actually going to university, with a mock application process as part of the study and a graduation ceremony at the end.
Highlights of the week include:
- Find the Laundered Money – students act as consultants to pursue money thought to have been salted away by a criminal gang. A trail of clues are hidden "somewhere on the internet".
- Design out crime – presentation on general issues and some case studies, followed by a workshop to design an object such as bag/backpack or mobile phone with special Design against Crime features.
- Crimes against the environment. One of the many hidden crimes that go unnoticed is industrial pollution. Dr Huw Taylor leads research that aims to identify the causes of water pollution, and then to locate those responsible. The session will start with the collection of water sample from the sea at Brighton followed by analysis in the lab.
- Computer Hacking - the past, present and future of computer crime and the impact on different sectors of society, for instance, business and children. What can be done to stop it?
- Crime in the press. How do we find out about crime? How is crime reported?
- Performance enhancing drugs. Introductory talk on drugs focussing on the effects on the body, followed by fitness and health checks. The objective of the session is to educate the participants about the dangers of drugs and the negative effects they can have on the body.
- Civil liberties - looking after number one. An interactive session that will investigate the crime risks facing contemporary society and the fears associated with these risks.
- A case study in crime. Students will be presented with evidence from a real court case. They will be asked to analyse the facts and present either a prosecution or defence case.
- Forensics. This workshop will provide an opportunity for students to use the latest analytical techniques to investigate the analysis of drug substances, metal contamination and fabrics.
As well as seminars there will be a sports afternoon in Eastbourne, and a showing of the Oscar-winning film Bowling for Columbine.
Darren Beaney, Summer School co-ordinator said, “This is our third summer school and we go from strength to strength with more students and more funding this year than ever before.
“And it’s working. We know of at least five students from the first year who have now applied to university, two of them to Brighton. The summer school is playing an important part in the university’s work to make higher education a realistic opportunity for more people.”
For a regular daily update visit www.brighton.ac.uk/summerschool
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
