Professor James Treadwell and Dr Jo Turner took Level 4 Sociology and Criminology students to the National Justice Museum in Nottingham, in February.

Jo Turner said “the venue was excellent and the whole day was so well organised. In the morning, the students had a tour of the museum/old prison, with a focus on capital punishment, and in the afternoon the students enacted a Freedom of Religion court case in the court room there.”

One student said

“the pics are amazing and remind me of a great day we all had. [It was] a real, valuable experience. It also got me excited about university and my degree… It was nice to be out of the surroundings of a “class room” and see first hand how the criminal system would run. It also (I feel) makes you connect more and appreciate how much we have developed our criminal justice system to how we used to treat people. Definitely made me appreciate and [be] proud of how the individuals were brave enough to be a voice and to make a change for humanity.”

Another student said:

“I enjoyed the trip to the National Justice Museum in Nottingham. It was fascinating and very informative. I particularly enjoyed being able to go inside the old cells and women’s facilities from long ago. Also, seeing the gallows and the old trap doors used for capital punishment was very interesting, albeit somewhat morbid!

“It really got me thinking about my stance on capital punishment, and it has certainly confirmed my opposition to it. Our group (appellants) thoroughly enjoyed the mock court case and were pleased to have won it on the grounds of Human Rights  The trip was very well organised and everything ran smoothly. The whole day was most useful for our upcoming assignments and it was some real food for thought for us future Criminologists/Sociologists!”