In celebration of the 25 years of Criminology at UON, we have been hosting a number of events that demonstrate the diversity and reach criminology has as a discipline in different communities.  In a spirit of opening a wider dialogue we have created a series of online classes for young home educated learners (10-15) to provide some taster sessions about criminology. This is a reflection of the very first one. 

Setting up a session for young learners is not an easy feat!  The introduction session was about to set the tone with the newly formed “Criminology Club” like the old Micky Mouse Club, only with more crime and less mice!  The audience of our new crime-busters was ready to engage.  The pre-session activity was set and the tone for what was to follow was clear.  For an hour I would be conversing on crime.  To get through the initial introductions with the group, we went over the activity.  Top crimes and reasons for arranging them in that order.  Our learners went into a whole range of criminalities and provided their own rationale for what they thought made them serious.  There is a complex simplicity in this activity; regardless of age or experience, our understanding and most importantly justification of crime, tells us more about us, than the person committing it.  Once we were done with the “pleasantries” we moved into the main part of the class. 

Being an introductory session, it was important to set it right; telling a story and framing it into a conversation is important.  What’s the best way to start the story of crime, but to tell a story we all know about when growing up; a fairy-tale.  Going for a classic fairy-tale seemed to be the best way to go! 

For this session the fairy tale chosen was Cinderella. 

“I really enjoyed today’s session! I feel enlightened – Dr @manosdaskalou was great and I really loved the activities. I didn’t know the original story of Cinderella – it’s so horrifying. I didn’t think of crime in fairy-tales before but now I will be on the look out.” (Quinn age 12).     

The original tale, like most fairy-tales has a fairly brutal twist that reinforces strongly the cautionary tale within the story.  This was an audience participation narration and the help of the “crime-busters” was necessary every step of the way. Understanding the types of crimes being committed at every turn of the tale, while wondering if this was to be regarded appropriate behaviour now.  Suddenly the fairy tale becomes an archive of social trends, beliefs and actions, captioned into the spin of the story.  The hour was far too little time covering a simple fairy tale!       

“I would like to thank Dr @manosdaskalou for today. I had an amazing time. The only thing I didn’t like was when it ended. I like stories so I enjoyed when we talked about Cinderella, I didn’t realise how gruesome the original one was!” (Paisley age 10).

There is something interesting running over a familiar tale and looking at it from a different perspective.  The process of decoding messages and reviewing narratives.  For a younger audience the terms may sound incomprehensible but it is amazing how much narrative analysis the new “crime-busters” did!  Our social conventions are so complex yet despite that a child at the age of 10 can pick them up and put them in the right order.  Seeing them confronting the different dilemmas, the story took them on so many different levels, was an interesting process.  It is always a challenge to pitch any material at the right level but on this occasion, for this group, about this story in this instance, the “crime-busters” were introduced to Criminology! 

“We had so much fun today in our first criminology lesson with Dr @manosdaskalou from UON. Time flew by so quickly, I was so interested in everything we were discussing and wanted to know more and more. In today’s session we pulled apart the fairytale Cinderella discussing what crimes the characters in it had committed and why. I thought this was a really great idea. I was having so much fun in the lesson that I didn’t realise how much I was actually learning but now that we have finished I realise I know much more about criminology and how to study a classic text with Criminology in mind. A big thank you to @manosdaskalou who made it an incredibly fun and engaging session. I’m sure I speak for most of us when I say I can’t wait to come back next time and learn more.” (Atty aged 14).

The end of the session left the group of “crime-busters” wanting more.  Other colleagues will continue offering more sessions to an early generation of learners getting to know the basics about “Criminology” a discipline that many people think they know from true crime, little realising we spend so much time dispelling the myths!  Who would imagine that the best way to do so, was to tell them a fairy tale.