Sample Syllabi - The American Society of Criminology

Transcription

Sample Syllabi - The American Society of Criminology
American Society of Criminology Introduction to Criminology Syllabi Collection Co­editors: Denise Paquette Boots (University of Texas at Dallas) &William Reese (Augusta State University) Sample Syllabi from Various Contributors
Table of Contents Alan Bruce (Crime & Society)…………………………………………………..page 3 Steven Barkan (Crime & Criminal Justice)……………………………………...page 9 Denise Paquette Boots (Introduction to Crime & Criminology)………………...page 13 Christine Gardiner (Introduction to Criminology, Law & Society)……………..page 21 Christine Gardiner (Crime & Delinquency)…......................................................page 27 Heath Hoffman (Criminology)…………………………………………………..page 38 Jon Shane (Criminology)………………………………………………………...page 43 Josh Klein (Criminology)………………………………………………………..page 49 Marian Mosser (Criminology)……………………………………………… …..page 57 Mark Warr (Criminology)…....................................................................... .........page 69 Travis Pratt (Nature of Crime)……………………………………… … …….page 72 Susan Smith­Cunnien (Criminology)……………………………… … … …..page 79 Tim Berard………………………………………………………………………page 87
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 2 Course Instructor Dr. Alan S. Bruce CJ/SO 283 A ­ Crime and Society Office: 336 CLA­1 Fall Semester, 2006 Office hours: See Blackboard MWF 9­9:50 am Phone: Extension 8458 Room TH 318 Email: [email protected] Introduction This course provides an introduction to the study of crime, commonly known as criminology. Criminology is primarily concerned with understanding the causes of crime, and so we will examine some of the most influential explanations for criminal behavior. As social context shapes general beliefs, however, it also shapes beliefs about crime; we will consider how different explanations have emerged at different times and understand how social context contributes to explanations of crime. To develop credible explanations for crime we must understand the nature of crime, and we will examine a range of criminal activity. General Approach to Teaching Crime and Society My approach to the study of crime and society is guided by the Quality Standards for the Baccalaureate Degree in Criminal Justice developed by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). ACJS standards for criminal justice education state in part; The purpose of undergraduate programs in criminal justice is to educate students to be critical thinkers who can c co om mm mu un ni ic ca at te e t th he ei ir r t th ho ou ug gh ht ts s e ef ff fe ec ct ti iv ve el ly y i in n o or ra al l a an nd d w wr ri it tt te en n fo rm m. Programs should familiarize students with facts and concepts and teach students f or to apply this knowledge to related problems and changing situations. (From Quality Standards for the Baccalaureate Degree in Criminal Justice published by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, http://www.acjs.org/pubs/167_667_12021.cfm) ACJS standards are reflected in the course objectives and assessment criteria. Course Objectives and Assessment Upon successful completion of this course students will: q q q q q q Understand the major criminological explanations of crime. Be able to utilize criminological theory to explain crime. Understand the nature of a variety of criminal activities. Be able to effectively communicate about criminological theory. Understand how social context impacts thought concerning crime and its causes. Be able to critically assess explanations of crime.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 3 Progress towards meeting these objectives will be determined by performance on exams and quizzes, and quality of course participation and writing assignments. Required Reading The following texts are available in the university bookstore: Adler, F., Mueller, G. O., & Laufer, W. S. (2007). Criminology (6 th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Reiman, J. (2007). The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison: Ideology, Class, and Criminal Justice (8 th ed.). Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon. Additional required reading will be distributed in class or placed in Blackboard; you are responsible for these regardless of your attendance. Course Expectations You can expect me to be respectful at all times, be in class on time, hold regular office hours as posted in blackboard, quickly respond to your questions, assist you with class assignments, return all written work within two weeks, provide clear guidelines on expectations for all assignments, and provide you with meaningful feedback on your work. In class we will use a lecture ­ discussion format and failure to adequately prepare for class will prevent effective participation. I expect you to come to class having read the assigned material, completed assignments, and prepared to discuss the relevant material. You are expected to hand in assignments on time and take exams at the scheduled times. There will be no opportunity for extra­credit assignments so it is important that you satisfy stated requirements. PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH ME REQUESTING EXTRA­ CREDIT ASSIGNMENTS. You are expected to alert me if you are having any trouble with the course material. I am unable to provide help if you do not seek it! When reading the material you should ask yourself: ­ Do I understand the vocabulary? ­ Do I understand the concepts the words are meant to convey? ­ Can I explain the material in my own words? If you cannot answer “yes” to each of these let me know as soon as possible. This course will rely heavily on the Blackboard system available through the Quinnipiac University website. You must familiarize yourself with Blackboard as soon as possible. To give your inquiries the attention they deserve and allow me to begin class on time you are expected to bring your questions to me during my office hours rather than immediately before or after class.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 4 ACADEMIC HONESTY You must follow the university’s Academic Integrity policy. The current Academic Integrity Policy can be accessed at http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x847.xml. Violation of the Academic Integrity Policy will result in report to the university academic integrity board, an F grade for the course, and possibly a judicial hearing. Familiarize yourself with the Academic Integrity Policy and contact me if you have any questions about it. Attendance Full attendance is expected. You are responsible for all material and assignments whether you attend class or not, and it is in your best interest to attend all class meetings. There will be information presented in class that is not in the required readings and you are responsible for this whether or not you are in class. There may also be changes in the schedule or assignments that are announced in class, and again you are responsible for these regardless of attendance. Irregular attendance will result in poor performance on all assignments and a low grade for the course. Finally, a record of attendance will be kept and considered in determining class participation grades. It is my strong preference that you do not bring laptop computers to class. Should you choose to bring a laptop to class it must only be used for course activities; email, instant messaging, online poker/gambling, checking sports scores, or showing­your­buddy­ something­really­cool/funny/weird/gross are not course activities. Using a laptop for non­course activities will seriously reduce your course participation grade. When in class please do not sleep, write notes to each other, read newspapers, do homework for any class, listen to music, or engage in activity that may disturb others. Turn off your phone!! Students With Disabilities: If you are a student with a documented disability I am happy to make the necessary accommodations BUT it is your responsibility to submit the relevant paperwork to me. I cannot make accommodations based on disability until I have received the relevant paperwork. Know your neighbor! It is a good idea to get the contact information for those sitting around you – this can help you get notes/announcements should you miss class, and get assistance with preparation for exams and quizzes. Say hello and write down their contact information! Exams, Quizzes, Class Participation, and Assignments Your final grade for the course will be determined by performance on exams, quizzes and/or in­ class assignments, written assignments, and class participation. n There will be two exams in this course, one during week 8, and a final exam given during finals week. The final exam covers material from the entire semester. Exams comprise 50% of your final course grade. n There will be 4 quizzes given in class that comprise 15% of your overall grade. Only three quizzes count towards your final grade therefore you drop your lowest quiz grade. No
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 5 make­up quizzes will be given. n Writing assignments will be distributed at appropriate points in the semester. Writing assignments comprise 25% of your overall course grade. Late assignments will be penalized 5% of the earned score for each day past the deadline. n While course participation is graded subjectively the following are taken into consideration; attendance, preparation for class, contribution to class and blackboard discussion, and demonstrated level of enthusiasm for course material. Note that contribution to class discussion does not simply involve talking but should demonstrate that you have read and understood the assigned material. Course participation comprises 10% of your overall course grade. n Should you have questions about earned grades you must make an appointment to come and meet with me; please do not attempt to discuss assignment grades with me immediately before or after class. A 48 hour “reflection” period must occur before I will discuss earned grades. Each assignment is worth a certain number of points and comprises a proportion of your final course grade. The maximum number of points available for this course is 300. The number of points and proportion of the final course grade for assignments is as follows: Exam 1 65 points = 22% of your final course grade. Exam 2 85 points = 28% of your final course grade. Quizzes 45 points total = 15% of your final course grade. Written assignments. 75 points = 25% of your final course grade. Participation 30 points = 10% of your final course grade. Total 300 points = 100% Final grades will be determined by dividing the total number of points earned by the total number of possible points, with the resulting percentage converted into a letter grade using the following scale: A = 93­100% B+ = 87­89% C+ = 77­79% D = 60­69% A­ = 90­92% B = 83­86% C = 73­76% F = 0­59% B­ = 80­82% C­ = 70­72% You can calculate your current course grade at any time. Divide the number of points you have earned by the total number of points available to that point, multiply the total by 100 to calculate your percentage, and use the above scale to determine your grade.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 6 Tentative Schedule Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 August 28: Course overview and introductions. August 30: So what is “criminology”? Adler et al. chapter 1. September 1: So what is “criminology”? Adler et al. chapter 1, Reiman Introduction. September 4: University holiday­no class. September 6: How do we know about crime? Adler et al. chapter 2. September 8: How do we know about crime? Adler et al. chapter 2. September 11: How do we know about crime? Adler et al. chapter 2, Reiman chapter 1. September 13: QUIZ 1. Why’d they do it? Witches, criminaloids and the feebleminded. Adler et al. chapter 3. September 15: Why’d they do it? Witches, criminaloids and the feebleminded. Adler et al. chapter 3. September 18: Why’d they do it? Modern biological and psychological explanations. Adler et al. chapter 4. September 20: Why’d they do it? Modern biological and psychological explanations. Adler et al. chapter 4. September 22: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ strain. Adler et al. chapter 5. September 25: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ strain. Adler et al. chapter 5. September 27: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ strain. Adler et al. chapter 5. September 29: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ strain. Adler et al. chapter 5. October 2: Yom Kippur ­ university holiday. October 4: QUIZ 2. Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ subcultures. Adler et al. chapter 6. October 6: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ subcultures. Adler et al. chapter 6. October 9: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ control. Adler et al. chapter 7. October 11: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ control. Adler et al. chapter 7. October 13: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ control. Adler et al. chapter 7. October 16: MID­TERM EXAM. October 18: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime. Adler et al. chapter 8, Reiman chapter 2. October 20: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime. Adler et al. chapter 8, Reiman chapter 2. October 23: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime. Adler et al. chapter 8, Reiman chapter 2. October 25: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ environment. Adler et al. chapter 9. October 27: Why’d they do it? Social explanations of crime ­ environment. Adler et al. chapter 9. October 30: QUIZ 3. What do they do and how do they do it? Violence and hate. Adler et al. chapter 10. November 1: What do they do and how do they do it? Violence and hate. Adler et al. chapter 10. November 3: What do they do and how do they do it? Violence and hate. Adler et al. chapter 10.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 7 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 November 6: What do they do and how do they do it? Violence and hate. Adler et al. chapter 10. What do they do and how do they do it? Property crime. Adler et al. chapter 11. November 8: What do they do and how do they do it? White­collar and organized crime. Adler et al. chapter 12. November 10: What do they do and how do they do it? White­collar and organized crime. Adler et al. chapter 12, Reiman chapter 3. November 13: What do they do and how do they do it? White­collar and organized crime. Adler et al. chapter 12, Reiman chapter 4. November 15: QUIZ 4. What do they do and how do they do it? White­collar and organized crime. Adler et al. chapter 12, Reiman chapter 4. November 17: What do they do and how do they do it? White­collar and organized crime. Adler et al. chapter 12. November 20: University holiday, no class. November 22: Thanksgiving break, no class. November 24: Thanksgiving break, no class. November 27: But why is it wrong? Because we say it is! Adler et al. chapter 13. November 29: But why is it wrong? Because we say it is! Adler et al. chapter 13. December 1: But why is it wrong? Because we say it is! Adler et al. chapter 13. December 4: What can we do about crime? Reiman conclusion. December 6: Is ours’ the only way? Comparative Criminology. Adler et al. chapter 14. December 8: Last day of class. Beginning December 11: Final exam given ONLY at time scheduled by the university. Note: This syllabus is subject to change at any time and without notice.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 8 SOC 214 ­ Crime and Criminal Justice Office: 201 Fernald Hall Fall 2007 Phone: 581­2383 Steven Barkan & FC E­mail: [email protected] Office Hours: TTh 1:55­2:55 p.m. and by appt. SYLLABUS Welcome to criminology! This course concerns the sociological study of crime and criminal justice in the United States. A major goal will be to answer three questions: (1) What are the causes of crime? (2) How can crime be reduced? and (3) To what degree does criminal justice decision­making reflect racial/ethnic, social class, and gender biases? As we will see, these questions are not easy to answer. The course will provide you with a variety of perspectives and information that will help you realize the complexity of the crime problem. When I was a college student, I decided to major in sociology because I felt it had something to say about the world around me and my place in it, and because my sociology instructors respected me and treated me like a human being, not just like a cog in a machine. After many years of teaching, I’m just as fascinated by sociology as I was in college, and I hope that by the end of this course you will also appreciate what sociology has to offer for the understanding of crime and related problems. Classes will include informal lectures and discussions. Lectures will integrate course readings and incorporate other literature to present additional information. Discussions will help you learn to think sociologically and to deal critically with course materials. For us all to learn as much as possible from the course, regular class attendance and timely completion of reading assignments are essential. Everyone is expected to attend class regularly and to do all reading assignments by their due date. Ultimately what you get out of this course depends on what you put into it. The requirements for the course are designed to help you learn as much as possible and, especially, to help you learn to think sociologically about crime and criminal justice. I will take attendance to support the following policy. An absence is excused if it occurs because of documented illness, a university­approved trip, or other urgent reason with my approval. Students with no more than two unexcused absences will receive consideration in event of a borderline grade and will also be eligible for some extra credit (see below). Anyone who accumulates more than six unexcused absences will get no higher than a C­, and anyone who accumulates more than eight unexcused absences will get no higher than a D­.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 9 For our class to succeed, we all must practice classroom etiquette. First and foremost, this means that we all must respect each other’s opinions and follow standards of common courtesy. Students should refrain from behaviors that violate these standards. These behaviors include, but are not limited to: excessive chattering; coming in late or leaving early; using cell phones, pagers, or other electronic devices; passing notes; reading newspapers, magazines, or other inappropriate material in class; sleeping in class; using a laptop computer for reasons other than taking class notes. Repeat offenders may be asked to leave the class and/or may suffer a reduction in their course grade, including possible failure in the course, and other sanctions allowed by the University. Such sanctions may occur whether or not you are asked to correct your behavior. The grade for the course will be determined as follows. Three multiple­choice exams will given on the dates listed below; each will count 23% toward the final course grade, or 69% overall. Four short reaction papers will each count 3% toward the final course grade, or 12% overall. Finally, a term paper will count for 19% of the final course grade. These modes of evaluation are discussed further below. In determining the final course grade, an average of 94­100=A, 90­93=A­, 87­89=B+, 84­86=B, 80­83=B­, and so forth. Students are reminded that plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty violate the University of Maine Student Conduct code as outlined in the Student Handbook. I know this syllabus sounds very formal, but I hope you will enjoy the course and will do my best to make sure you do. I bring into this course many years of teaching about, and doing research on, crime and criminal justice, which I consider important, fascinating topics of great relevance for the field of sociology and well as for society. I'll be very interested in your views on the course as we proceed, and welcome your thoughts throughout the semester. Finally, I encourage students with disabilities to speak with me about accommodations they might need to help assure success in this class. If you feel you might have an undiagnosed disability, please feel free to talk with me and/or to contact Ann Smith at the Onward Program on campus (581­2319). REQUIRED READINGS Steven E. Barkan, Criminology: A Sociological Understanding, 3 rd ed. Careers in Criminal Justice cd­rom supplement TOPICS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS I. UNDERSTANDING CRIME AND CRIMINOLOGY Sept. 4,6,11,13 Sept. 18,20 Criminology and Sociology. Chapter 1 Public Opinion and the Media. Chapter 2
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 10 Sept. 25,27 Measuring Crime and Victimization. Chapters 3,4 II. EXPLAINING CRIME AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR Oct. 2,11 Nonsociological Explanations. Chapter 5 Oct. 4 Prelim #1 Oct. 16,18,23,25 Sociological Explanations. Chapters 6,7,8 III. TYPES OF CRIME Oct. 30; Nov. 1,6 Violent Crime. Chapters 9,10 Nov. 8 Prelim #2 Nov. 13,15 Guest lectures Nov. 20 Property Crime. Chapter 11 Nov. 27,29 White­Collar Crime and Organized Crime. Chapter 12 Dec. 4,6 Consensual Crime. Chapter 14 IV. CONTROLLING AND PREVENTING CRIME Dec. 11,13 Policing, Punishment, and Prevention. Chapter 15 (pp. 472­484 only); 16 (pp. 508­512,525­527,533­539 only); 17 (pp. 547­555 only) MODES OF EVALUATION 1. Multiple­Choice Exams. Three multiple­choice exams (prelims) will evaluate your understanding of all course materials, including lectures, discussions, and readings, and also your ability to integrate these materials. At least five questions for each exam will be drawn from the companion Web site for the course textbook ( http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_barkan_criminology_3). The prelims will be given in class on Thursday, October 4; Tuesday, November 8, and during Finals Week (Tuesday, December 18 at 9:30 a.m.) Make­up (essay) exams, including for the third exam, will be permitted only for documented excused absences. 2. Extra Credit. Students with no more than two unexcused absences may submit an extra­ credit paper that will add up to four points to the final course grade. The paper will apply your knowledge from the course to criminal justice careers. Specifically, you are asked to choose one of the careers included in the Job Description area on the Careers in Criminal Justice cd­rom supplement. For the career you select, you should pretend either that you will be entering that career or that you are writing to someone who will be entering that career. Regardless of what you pretend, your paper should discuss how knowledge gained from our course may enhance someone’s ability to perform all aspects of their job responsibilities in the career you select. Your discussion should draw extensively on the cd­
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 11 rom and on all course materials and indicate what you have learned from our course and your ability to apply it to real­world situations. The paper should be 3­5 pages long (900­ 1200 words), typed, and double­spaced. This paper is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, December 13. DATES TO REMEMBER Thursday, October 4 Prelim #1 Tuesday, Nov. 8 Prelim #2 Finals Week (Tues., 12/18) Prelim #3 Thursday, Dec. 13 Extra­credit papers due
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 12 Introduction to Crime and Criminology Spring 2008 Course Syllabus
Course Information
Course Number/Section
CJS 1307 section 001/CRN 13462
Course Title
Introduction to Crime and Criminology
Term
Spring 2008
Days & Times
Mondays 2:30-5:15pm Green Hall Room 2.302
Professor Contact Information
Professor
Dr. Denise Paquette Boots
Email Address
[email protected] or via Web CT
Office Location
Green Hall 2.520 (south side nearest McDermott Library)
Office Hours
Mondays 12:30-1:30pm or by appointment
Other Information
Use UTD email for all correspondence- response within 48 hours
Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions
None
Course Description
This course examines the nature, location, and impact of crime in the United States by exploring a broad
range of issues related to criminology. Topics focused on within the course include the historical foundations
of crime, the theoretical underpinnings of criminality, how we measure criminal acts, the development of
criminal careers, the various typologies of offenders and victims, and a critical analysis of public policies
concerning crime control in society.
Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes
This course introduces the student to the discipline of criminology and explores how crime impacts society-atlarge. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
recognize various typologies of criminal behavior
identify the general elements of criminological theory
name the major crime data sources
link general elements of theory to the typologies of crime.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 13 Required Textbooks and Materials
Two Required Texts 1) Criminology: The Core (3rd Edition) Larry Siegel ISBN 0-495-09477-3 and 2)
Study Guide for Siegel’s Criminology: The Core (3rd Edition) by Anthony Larose ISBN 0-495-10001-3
and 3) THREE BLANK Scantrons from UTD Bookstore for exams (Parscore—see items below)
Required Reading/Materials
**Students are REQUIRED to purchase 3 scantrons (Green form, 100 answers, ParSCORE Test Form
No: X-101864 ONLY-. Please purchase ONLY this exact form at the UTD Bookstore and bring to your
exam completely BLANK. I will show you an example of the scantrons in class and all students are expected
to purchase all three scantrons WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS OF CLASSES. **Students who
do not bring their form on test day will not be able to take the exam and are NOT eligible for makeup exams!!** The instructor will NOT have extra forms for your use. Students also may be tested on any
handouts, films shown during class time, and/or guest lecture notes given out by instructor during class or
posted on Web CT.
Suggested Course Readings/Materials
None
Course Policies
Class Attendance: Please show respect to the instructor and your fellow students by being on time! Class
will begin promptly at 2:30pm, and roll will be taken each day. Attendance is not required, but class
participation will make up 10% of your grade. Simply put, if you are not here, you will not be able to
participate or prepare well for your exams and this will negatively affect your grade in this course. The
instructor reserves the right to also deduct class participation points for negative student behaviors that
adversely affect the classroom. Class participation points are awarded for students who positively contribute
the class. Students not present when their name is called or to sign in on the attendance sheet will be counted
absent for that day. Another classmate may NOT sign in for you—this will be considered to be an act of
academic dishonesty. Students who attend class will be more engaged, synthesize the material better, and
have the opportunity to contribute to the class discussions and earn participation points.
***After class has begun at 2:30pm, please do not enter and disrupt the class or leave the classroom! LATE
ADMISSIONS INTO THE CLASS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED—this is to facilitate a positive learning
environment for the entire class with minimal disruptions. Before class starts please turn off your cell phones
and plan to use the restroom so that you do not disrupt our discussions. Plan to attend class the entire
scheduled time for each day per your course calendar. Excused absences are limited to ONLY documented
serious illnesses, family emergencies, observed religious holidays, or official UTD events (athletics, debate,
etc.) that students notify me of IN ADVANCE via email or during class time. Students on official business
should bring me an official notice from your organization of class conflicts so that alternative arrangements
can be made. Students who have a conflict due to religious practices need to get with me at the beginning of
the semester and let me know what these dates will be.
Classroom Citizenship and Participation: Without question, students who are actively engaged
learn more, earn better grades, and are better informed citizens of their university and communities.
You will also be significantly better prepared for future courses within the Criminology program if
you are a major. You are actively encouraged to be an engaged and positive participant in our classroom.
Our classroom is a safe space to share your experiences, thoughts, and critiques of criminological research
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 14
and topics. I encourage critical thinking and welcome open discussions of the material we will review. You
may participate via email correspondence to me, visiting with me during office hours, bringing in news
articles or stories that relate to our course material, or by asking questions or making comments during
lectures. Students may NOT record the instructor or any guest speakers. You may NEVER sell your
PowerPoint presentations, notes, online or personal study guide materials or any other class
materials (except the purchased required textbook and study guide).
Lectures: PowerPoint presentations for each chapter in your textbook will be posted at the beginning of the
semester, and students are expected to download and print out these materials from Web CT after the
FIRST class and bring all of them to class each week. This practice will facilitate more active
participation in class lectures, as students will only have to record additional information given or make
personal notes about the material! Additional material will be added to these lectures and I will highlight
material that will be relevant for your exams, so I strongly encourage you to attend class. Students are
required to check WebCT for class announcements and course materials at least once per week and prior to
class so that you are prepared. Due to the dynamic nature of the schedules of some of our guest speakers,
class lectures may change without prior notice. Therefore, it is imperative that you bring all Power Points not
previously lectured on to class so that you are prepared. Students who miss classes are responsible for getting
any information and notes in person from a classmate. Please do NOT contact me and ask me to send
you the notes from lectures that you have missed or ask me whether you should attend class! It is
solely your responsibility to get notes from classmates for whatever classes are missed.
Quizzes: Additionally, 20% of your grade will be made up of from a number of pop quizzes that will be
given during the course of the semester. Typically the number of quizzes is three, unless there is poor
attendance or behavior in the class. I reserve the right to increase or decrease the quizzes WITHOUT notice.
Each quiz will cover the material due that day and/or the class prior, and may include all lectures, videos, or
speakers covered in class or readings assigned in the required texts. IMPORTANT: Quizzes cannot be made
up except for these THREE reasons: 1) you are hospitalized (not just sick!) with doctor verification, 2) you
are participating in an official activity of a UTD organization ( you should give me an official letter at the
beginning of the semester with the dates that you will missing class and it will be your responsibility to get
with me no later than the next class period to reschedule the quiz), or 3) you are observing an official holiday
for your religious faith (and have notified me in ADVANCE of those dates). Again, I encourage you to
come to consistently attend class and be ON TIME since quizzes usually occur at the beginning of
class. When the quiz is collected, it is over. If you try to enter the class late and the quiz is
completed, you will NOT be allowed to make it up. BE ON TIME!!
Examinations/Make-up exams: Exams will include materials from your two texts, lectures, videos, guest
speakers, and other supplemental materials covered in class. Exams will account for 70% of your final
grade in this class. Exams typically are multiple choice exams with a couple of short answers. People, places,
things, and highlighted words or sections in your text are the areas of interest you should focus on in your
studying. I will highlight certain test items during your course lectures as well! If attendance, note-taking, and
class behavior are good, I will provide you with key points for guest speakers and videos shown in class to
help you with the material. Exams generally are not cumulative if class attendance and behavior are good
during the semester. All materials covered in class are subject to testing—please consult your calendar for a
list of chapters due for each exam.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 15
**ON TEST DAYS, ALL HATS, CELL PHONES, PDA’S, CALCULATORS, WATER BOTTLES,
DRINKS, OR WRITING INSTRUMENTS ARE TO BE PUT IN A BOOKBAG OR PURSE.
NOTHING BUT A PENCIL, YOUR SCANTRON, AND ID ARE ALLOWED AT YOUR DESK. ALL
PERSONAL ITEMS WILL BE KEPT AT THE FRONT OF THE CLASS UNTIL YOUR EXAM IS
COMPLETED AND TURNED IN. BRING PHOTO ID AND STUDENT UTD ID#’s (NOT SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBERS) TO THE EXAM AND HAVE THEM ON YOUR PERSON DURING THE
TEST PLEASE!!**
IMPORTANT: Make-up exams will absolutely NOT be considered unless there is documented
proof of a hospitalization or emergency and I am contacted BEFORE THE EXAM BY EMAIL.
Your doctor saying you are sick or you feeling sick IS NOT A VALID EXCUSE FOR A MAKEUP
EXAM. Religious holidays will be fully accommodated, but students must contact me prior to the
absence to make arrangements for a makeup exam. The instructor reserves the right for all makeup
examinations to be full essay and be administered on a date of my choosing. PLEASE DO NOT
TRY TO MAKE UP AN EXCUSE IF YOU MISS THE EXAM—these policies will be enforced
fairly and uniformly!
Exams may be curved after a question analysis is done by the instructor and bonus points may be given on
the exam to help students with their final grades. These points are solely given at my discretion and grades
are FINAL once posted. Exam grades will be posted when available on Web CT and students are welcome
to make an appointment with me to review their tests and grades. Again, if you have a religious holiday or are
a student athlete that conflicts with an exam date, please contact me at the beginning of the semester (or as
soon as you are aware of the conflict) to make arrangements for a new exam time. These alternate exams will
also be multiple choice but will have different questions than the exam given to the rest of the class.
Extra Credit: There is NO extra credit possible in this class.
Grading Policy:
CLASS PARTICIPATION
45 POINTS
10% of grade for participation
QUIZZES
90 POINTS
20% of grade for quizzes
EXAM 1
105 POINTS
70% of grade for exams
EXAM 2
105 POINTS
EXAM 3
105 POINTS
TOTAL
450 POINTS TOTAL IN CLASS
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 16
GRADING SCALE: Take your FINAL POINT TOTAL for all items from Web CT to determine what
your grade is as follows:
Percent
Grade
Point Range Totals
100%
A+
450
93-99%
A
419-449
90-92%
A405-418
87-89%
B+
392-404
83-86%
B
374-391
80-82%
B360-373
77-79%
C+
347-359
73-76%
C
329-346
70-72%
C315-328
67-69%
D+
302-314
63-66%
D
284-301
60-62%
D270-283
59% and less F
269 and below
Student Conduct & Discipline: The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas
have rules and regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of
each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which
govern student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in
the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year.
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and
established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The
University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities
of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to
students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).
A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is
expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such
conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such
conduct.
Academic Integrity: The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic
honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by
the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrates a high standard of individual honor in
his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or material that is not one’s
own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism,
collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary proceedings. Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and
from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with to the fullest extent possible under the
university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details).
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 17
Email Use: The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues
concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all
official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty
and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows
the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the
security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be
used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T.
Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts. You are
required to check your WebCT account before our class to get updates, communications, and
notices about exams, etc. in this class! If you have not done so already, please activate your email
and become familiar with WebCT after the first class and begin to check it regularly.
Withdrawals from Class: The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any
college-level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration
procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any
class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure
that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are
enrolled.
Student Grievance Procedures: Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student
Services and Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. In attempting to resolve any
student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the
obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor,
administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter
cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of
the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by
the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or
Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision
of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all
involved parties. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.
Incomplete Grade Policy: As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work
unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. You must
get the permission of the instructor and make arrangements for incomplete work prior to this grade being
assigned. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent
long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not
submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.
Disability Services: The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational
opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday,
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 18
8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The contact information for the Office of Disability
Services is: The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22 PO Box 830688 Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to
eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom
prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind.
Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral
presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may
have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special services
such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance. It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her
professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to
present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals
requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.
Religious Holy Days: The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required
activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are
exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding a religious
absence and in advance of the assignment. All religious holidays that will be observed should be submitted in
writing to the instructor at the beginning of the semester. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the
exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of
the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed
exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or
assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment. If a student
or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious holy
day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to
complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling
from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or
designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will
abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.
Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities: Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and
activities are subject to state law and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related
activities. Information regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address given
below. Additional information is available from the office of the school dean. (
http://www.utdallas.edu/Business Affairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm).
Reading Assignments & Academic Calendar for Intro to Crime & Criminology Spring 2008
DATE
Jan 7
SCHEDULED LECTURES/READINGS DUE EACH CLASS
Intro to class/download all posted PowerPoint presentations on Web CT and bring to each
class/Chapter 1 due (Text reading, study guide and Power Points DUE on each date)
Jan 14
Chapter 2 due/Florence Holway video
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 19
Jan 21
No class** MLK HOLIDAY!
Jan 28
Chapter 3 due/**Guest speaker- Mr. Greg Davis, Collin Co. Assistant District Attorney
Feb 4
Chapter 4 due/ 1st installment of Paradise Lost
Feb 11
Feb 18
Exam 1/2nd installment of Paradise Lost
Chapter 5 due (Chief Rushin had to reschedule)/ Paradise Lost finale and discussion
Feb 25
Chapter 6 due** Guest speaker- Lt. Vernon Hale, Dallas Police Department
March 3
March 10
Chapters 7 and 8 due
No class! Happy Spring Break!!
March 17
Chapter 9 due
March 24
March 31
Exam 2/TBA
Chapter 10 due** /Guest speaker- Police Chief Gregory W. Rushin, Plano Police
Apr 7
Chapters 11 and 12 due
Apr 14
**Guest speaker- Collin County Fire Marshal Steven M. Deffibaugh
Apr 21
Apr 28
Chapter 13 due** Guest Speaker- Mr. Travis Wortham, Texas Youth Commission
Superintendent
TBA/Last Day of Regular Class!
May 5
FINAL EXAM at 2:30pm—DO NOT MISS YOUR FINAL!!!!!!!!
***************************************************************************************
PLEASE NOTE:
These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion
of the Professor without prior notice.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 20
Introduction to Criminology, Law and Society University of California, Irvine – Summer Session I, 2007 Course Time & Location: Monday & Wednesday 1:00 – 3:50pm Humanities Hall (HH) 178 Instructor: Christie Gardiner, M.Phil. ([email protected]) Office Hours: Wednesday 11:30 ­ 12:30 & by appointment Office Location: Social Ecology II (SE2) 2330 Teaching Assistant: Kate Rosoff ([email protected]) Office Hours: TBD Office Location: SE2 2364 Course Webpage: http://eee.uci.edu/07y/50405/ The course webpage is designed to be a resource for students and contains helpful links, readings and logistical information. Email: Important information will be communicated via email. It is your responsibility to have a functioning UCI email account and to check your account frequently (at least 3x per week). Course Description: This course presents a general overview of crime and punishment in the United States. It introduces the broad and interconnected fields of criminology, law and society, and criminal justice studies. We will discuss how our understanding of law shapes our understanding of crime as well as how crime influences law and public policy. We will examine the major theoretical explanations for crime, as well as how theories and our understanding of criminal behavior shape our responses to crime and criminals. We will also investigate the nature and extent of crime in society, and how criminologists measure and study crime. Additionally, we will investigate the criminal justice system and the complex interrelationships between its principle components (law enforcement, courts, and corrections). Learning Objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. Describe the emergence and purpose of law according to various theories. 2. Name the main types of crime in society and describe the nature and extent of crime in the United States. 3. Describe the benefits and weakness of the major sources of crime statistics. 4. Articulate the main components of major criminological theories. 5. List the components of the criminal justice system and describe the criminal justice process in America and how it evolved. 6. Articulate the major theories of punishment and explain society’s current response to crime and delinquency. 7. Critically evaluate criminal justice policy based on their theoretical knowledge and their understanding of the causes and correlates of crime and delinquency.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 21 Required Reading: 1. Smith, P and Natalier, K (2005) Understanding Criminal Justice. ISBN: 0761940324 (required), 2. Agnew, R (2005) –Juvenile Delinquency, 2nd ed. (required), 3. Currie, E. (1998) Crime and Punishment in America. ISBN: 0805060162 , AND 4. Selected readings as indicated (on library reserve) Course Requirements: To be successful in this course, you must attend lecture, complete the assigned readings as outlined in the syllabus and be ready to contribute to class discussions. Grades will be based on two exams (a midterm and a final), one research paper, and a required field trip. Attendance at lectures is mandatory and less than stellar attendance can lower your grade, up to one full grade. Midterm – 60 pts (7/11/07) Final Exam – 75 pts (includes take home question and exam on 8/1/07) Research Paper – 50 pts (due Wednesday, 7/25/07 at 1:00pm in class) Fieldtrip – 15 pts (dates to be announced on the first day of class) Note: There are NO make­up exams. If you can not take an exam on the day it is scheduled, you should take this class at another time. If you miss an exam, you will be given a score of zero for that exam. Late papers will NOT be accepted; except under extraordinary circumstances. Honesty and Plagiarism Policy ­ This course seeks to empower students for independent learning, resourcefulness, clear thinking, and perception. All submitted work and activities should be genuine reflections of individual achievement from which the student should derive personal satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. Plagiarism and cheating subvert these goals and will not be tolerated. If you cheat on an exam or plagiarize any written assignment, you will receive an F for the exam/assignment, an official notice will be placed in your file and you may be prosecuted by UCI. Grading Scale: A+ = 200 points C+ = 154 – 159.5 points A = 188 – 199.5 points C = 148 – 153.5 points A­ = 180 – 187.5 points C­ = 140 – 147.5 points B+ = 174 – 179.5 points D+ = 134 – 139.5 points B = 168 – 173.5 points D = 128 – 133.5 points B­ = 160 – 167.5 points D­ = 120 – 127.5 points F = 0 – 119.5 points Fieldtrip: Students will have the opportunity to tour the Orange County Juvenile Hall, the Stark Youth Facility and the California’s Institute for Men in Chino. Students MUST attend one of these tours, based on their personal preference or scheduling availability. Students who sign up for a tour and fail to show up at the designated date and time will be penalized 10 points! For each fieldtrip (required & xc) you will, prior to entering the facility, write about your expectations. Then, upon completion of the tour, write about your observations. How was it similar or different from your expectations? Students who are unable to attend tours due to their criminal history or age will be given an alternative assignment, at the instructor’s discretion.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 22 Extra Credit: During the course, students will have the opportunity to visit several correctional facilities. Attending one fieldtrip is required; attending additional fieldtrips is extra credit. Students who attend two or more of the scheduled visits will be eligible to receive extra course credit (5 pts per facility) upon submission of a brief expectation/observation paper (1­2 pgs). Your grade can only be raised one notch (ie B+ to A­, C to C+, etc.). Extra credit can NOT boost your grade from A to A+. Research Paper: There are two parts to this research paper. The first part is research and will require you to “get into the field” and observe some aspect of the criminal justice system in action. You will need to choose an aspect of the criminal justice system (police, courts, probation, jail, etc) in which to go on a “ride­ along” or observe how players in that agency operate for four or more hours. During this time, you should interview at least one (but preferably more) persons who work for/with the agency (ie police officer, dispatcher, judge, lawyer, deputy sheriff, deputy probation officer, etc). A list of resources will be provided during the first class meeting so you can arrange a ride­along that interests you and fits into your schedule. You do not need to use the contacts provided. You may choose to call an agency that is closer to your home or more convenient for you. However, these appointments can take up to a couple weeks to arrange, so plan ahead and get started early! The second part of the project is your paper. The goal of the paper is to show what you learned about the agency you studied (observed), what its role is in the criminal justice system and how it interacts with other agencies. It should also describe your experience on your ride­a­long and the interview/s you conducted. Notes about the paper: • about 7 pages in length (6 page minimum, 9 page maximum) • Double­spaced, using Times New Roman 12pt font and 1” margins. • Provide a contact name and phone number for someone at the agency you observed so that your time in the field can be verified, if necessary. • You must turn in a hard (paper) copy of your term paper AND upload your paper to turnitin.com for plagiarism review. • Please use an established method of citing your sources (APA, MLA etc.). • Papers will be graded on content, organization, quality of observation, and your ability to clearly articulate what you have learned about the agency during this course and your ride­along. In other words, writing counts!! • The most points you can receive on this paper without “going into the field” is 15. Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Usage Policy agreement posted on the Turnitin.com site. Should a student object to using turninit.com and choose not to upload his/her paper for plagiarism review, he/she will be required to do the following: (i) write a short (3 pages) reflection paper on research methods and the importance of giving proper credit to original authors, and (ii) photocopy the cover page and all cited pages of each reference source and submit both with his/her final paper.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 23 Introduction (5 pts): Introduce the agency you chose to observe and its role in the criminal justice system. Provide a preview of your paper, a road map for the reader. Agency Type (15 pts): Clearly describe the type of agency you observed (law enforcement, courts, or corrections) and the functions fulfilled by these types of agencies as well as the role/s these agencies play in the criminal justice system. For instance, police departments investigate crimes and arrest suspects, superior courts process offenders accused of a crime, probation departments supervise offenders convicted of a crime and sentenced to probation. Where is this agency situated in the flow of the criminal justice system (ie police are generally first in the process; parole would be the last stage an offender might pass through)? Which branch of government are they part of? Which other agencies does it rely on/interact with? For example, if you visit a courtroom, you should discuss the court system in the United States (Federal and CA State); identify the courtroom workgroup and discuss the role and function of each person in the courtroom. You should also describe the court process (pre­trial thru sentencing), the appeals process, as well as pertinent issues faced by the courts. If you do a ride­along with a law enforcement agency, you should discuss the duties of law enforcement, in general as well as by level (federal, state, local) and explain the distinctions between the various levels of law enforcement. Describe the process from the report of a crime to the arrest of a suspect (how many crimes go unreported, etc). Explain the various jobs within a typical law enforcement agency (this may also be in the next section). Discuss the balance between due process and crime control. Although you may use lecture and the textbook as sources of information, you should not quote directly from these sources on more than 3 occasions! Agency Studied (10 pts): Describe the agency you studied in terms of size, philosophy (if applicable), organization and operation. For example, if you went on a ride along with Newport Beach PD, you will talk about NBPD in this section. If you went to Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, you will talk about OCSC in Santa Ana. How many officers (or judges, etc) does this agency employ? How many other employees? What different jobs are done by employees at this agency? How many cars/courts are there? For example, if you went to X police department, you might write about how many officers the department has (how many employees total, or break it down by # sworn and # non­sworn), what specialty teams do they have, what other units does the dept have (ie crime prevention, crime analysis, ...), what is the policing philosophy of the department, do officers work on task forces with officers from other agencies, what are the main crime issues in X city, how do they address those issues... The things you might find out are almost endless. If you visited the Santa Ana Superior Court you should describe the court house ­ tell us what you learned about it, specifically. Does it handle only criminal cases? Or does it handle civil cases also? Also, are there any "specialty courts?" How many people work at OCSC? What different jobs are done? Is it the county's central courthouse or is it a small courthouse that only handles traffic and misdemeanors? ... Be creative; try to uncover some interesting, little known facts about your agency. Observation and Interviews (10 pts): Describe your experience during your ride­along or observation session. What activities did you do? What did you observe? Did your observations/experiences meet your expectations? Why or why not? For example, if you went on a police ride along, you might consider the following questions: Did you go on many calls for service ­ or was it a quiet shift. Did you drive all over the city, or did you stick to a single beat?
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 24 Watch what the officer does, how s/he does her/his job ­ observe her/his interactions with the public and how s/he interacts with you and the opinions s/he shares. If you went to the courthouse­ describe your day ­ did you sit in on a trial? Did you go to a specialty court (drug court, prop 36/pc1210 court…). What did you observe­ voir dire; opening statements; closing statements; defense or prosecution arguments; witness testimony; preliminary hearings? Did these events take a long time, or were they quick? Were there lots of people in court, or few? Was it easy to figure out where you were going? Or confusing? Why? Who did you interview ­ what did they say? Did they help you figure things out? No matter what your ride­along, show self reflection ­ what did you observe and how did that compare to what you might have expected or what you have learned in class. Conclusion (5 pts): Wrap it up. Remind the reader what you said. Summarize your argument. Format (5 pts): Spelling, punctuation, grammar, proper citations, organization, overall quality of paper. Course Schedule and Readings: This schedule may be changed at the instructor’s discretion. th Week 1/Mon. June 25 : Topic: Intro to CLS, Law making ­ Types of law; Law and Social Change • Smith & Natalier­ pgs 1­28, 39­42, 47­55, and 57­62 • Calvi, J. V. & Coleman, S. (1992). Chapter 1: Introduction. American Law and Legal Systems. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall th Week 1/Wed. June 27 : Topic: Law Breaking: Criminological Theories • Agnew ­ Chapters 6 – 9 nd Week 2/Mon. July 2 Topic: Law Breaking: Criminological Theories – differences in offending • Agnew ­ Chapters 10 – 12 • St. John, J. (2007) Road Map to Prevention, Time Magazine, 3/15/2007. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1599722,00.html • Currie ­ Introduction th Week 2/Wed. July 4 HOLIDAY ­ ENJOY! • Currie – pages 12­67 th Week 3/Mon. July 9 : Topic: Law Breaking: Defining and Measuring Crime • Currie – pages 67 ­ 109 th Week 3/Wed. July 11 : Midterm Exam Topic: Law Breaking: Prevalence of crime and current trends • Currie – pages 110­ 141 • Rosenfeld, R. (2004). The Case of the Unsolved Crime Decline. Scientific American, 290, p82­ 90. th Week 4/Mon. July 16 : Topic: Criminal Justice System: Organization & Law Enforcement • Smith & Natalier­ chapter 3 • Currie – pages 141­ 161 th Week 4/Wed. July 18 : Topic: Criminal Justice System: Judicial System & Sentencing • Smith & Natalier­ chapter 4
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 25 • Bogira, S. (2005). Courtroom 302: A Year behind the Scenes in an American Criminal Courthouse. New York: Knopf, 110­118, 122­123, 175­177. • Leonard, J., Garvey, M. and Smith, D. (2006, May 14). Releasing Inmates Early has a Costly Human Toll. The Los Angeles Times, Orange County Edition, pp.A1, A20­ A22. rd Week 5/Mon. July 23 : Topic: Criminal Justice System: Theories of Punishment and Corrections • Smith & Natalier­ chapter 5 • Braithwaite, J. (2005). Crime, Shame, and Reintegration. In Cullen, F. T. & Agnew, R. (eds.) Criminological Theories, Past to Present. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing, 316­319. • Elsner, A. (2006). Gates of Injustice: The Crisis in America’s Prisons. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 12­35, 232­241. th Week 5/Wed. July 25 : Research Paper Due Topic: Wrapping up: Policies & Prescriptions • Currie – chapters 5 and 6 • Aos, S. Miller, M. and Drake, E. (2006). Evidence­based Adult Corrections Programs: What Works and What Does Not. Olympia: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, p. 1­ st 8. (read this 1 ) • Aos, S. Miller, M. and Drake, E. (2006). Evidence­based Public Policy Options to Reduce Future Prison Construction, Criminal Justice Costs, and Crime Rates. Olympia: nd Washington State Institute for Public Policy, p. 1­17. (read this 2 ) • Nores, M. Belfield, C. Barnett, W., Schweinhart, L. (2005). Updating the Economic Impacts of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 27 (3), p.245­261. (optional) st Wed. Aug 1 : Final Exam; Extra Credit Due
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 26 AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY Global Studies and Sociology Department SOC 455: Crime and Delinquency Fall 2007 Course Time & Location: Tuesday 4:20 – 7:20pm in Duke 601 Instructor: Christie Gardiner, M.Phil. Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Phone: (714) 694­0525 Office Hours: by appointment (typically before class) at a location to be determined Course Webpage: The course webpage is designed to be a resource for students and contains helpful links, readings and logistical information. Email: Important information will be communicated via email. It is your responsibility to have a functioning email account and to check your account frequently (at least 2x per week). Course Description: Catalog Description: This course explores the dimensions and nature of both traditional crime and criminality and the newly recognized forms of crime which exists within contemporary society. The criminal's relationship to the courts, police, and other penal agencies is the focus of attention. Supplemental Information: We will discuss how our understanding of law shapes our understanding of crime and delinquency as well as how crime influences law and public policy. We will examine the major theoretical explanations for crime, as well as how our understanding of criminal behavior shapes our responses to crime and criminals. We will also investigate the nature and extent of crime and delinquency in society, how criminologists measure and study crime and learn “what works” in delinquency prevention. Additionally, we will investigate the criminal justice system and the complex interrelationships between its principle components. Learning Objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. Describe the emergence and purpose of law according to various theories. 2. Name the main types of crime in society and describe the nature and extent of crime in the United States. 3. Describe the benefits and weakness of the major sources of crime statistics. 4. Articulate the main components of major criminological theories 5. List the components of the criminal justice system and describe the criminal justice process in America and how it evolved. 6. Identify the role of external factors on adolescent development and delinquency 7. Articulate the major theories of punishment and explain society’s current response to crime and delinquency and how this compares to Biblical teachings. 8. Critically evaluate juvenile and criminal justice policy based on their theoretical knowledge and their understanding of the causes and correlates of delinquency Required Reading: 1. Smith, P and Natalier, K (2005) Understanding Criminal Justice. ISBN: 0761940324 (required), 2. Agnew, R (2005) –Juvenile Delinquency, 2nd ed. (required), 3. Currie, E. (1998) Crime and Punishment in America. ISBN: 0805060162, and 4. Selected readings as indicated
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 27 Course Requirements: 1. Fieldtrip Report: Students will have the opportunity to tour several correctional facilities. Students MUST attend one of these tours, based on their personal preference or scheduling availability. Students who sign up for a tour and fail to show up at the designated date and time will be penalized 10 points! For each fieldtrip you will, prior to entering the facility, write about your expectations. For example, what do you think it will be like going into a prison? Then, upon completion of the tour, write about your observations. For example, how did the experience compare with your expectations? What did you learn? What will you take away from this experience? Reports should be 2­3 pages long and demonstrate sincere thinking your experience as it relates to topics discussed in class. Students who are unable to attend tours due to their criminal history or age will be given an alternative assignment, at the instructor’s discretion. 2. Research Paper: There are two parts to this research paper. The first part requires that you identify a topic/issue you are interested in and relates to criminal justice and research the issue in academic journals and/or books. The second part requires that you “get into the field” and interview at least one criminal justice system professional (ie police officer, dispatcher, judge, lawyer, deputy sheriff, deputy probation officer, etc) to ascertain how the issue impacts the practitioner or the system. In the paper you will need to (1) define the issue, (2) review the research on the issue, (3) describe how the issue impacts the criminal justice system or practitioner, and (4) demonstrate familiarity with the role, process and procedures of at least one aspect of the criminal justice system (law enforcement, courts, corrections). Topic choice: The list of potential topics is almost limitless. You should choose a topic that interests you. It could be a topic that you have discussed in other classes, or something you have seen on television that has you curious. The topic must impact at least one aspect of the criminal justice system and have an associated literature. Some possible topics: race/ethnicity issues; juvenile offenders; mentally disordered offenders; female offenders; the impact of various crime policies (three strikes, medicinal marijuana, proposition 36, gang injunctions…); role of religion in prison, does religion rehabilitate? How widespread is the use of forensic evidence? How has technology changed crime, the investigation of crime, or the processing of offenders? These are samples; actual topics should be more tightly focused. Research: Students are expected to search online databases for articles that relate to their topic and write a review of the research topic. It is expected that 5­7 works (not assigned as course reading) from respected journals or edited volumes in the field will be used (3 is the minimum). Books from respected authors are also acceptable. Students should ask for help from the instructor early if they are unable to locate appropriate reference materials, but should be prepared to explain the steps they have taken on their own before seeking help. Interview: The phone book lists contact for law enforcement agencies, jails, prisons, and the courts in the government pages. Most criminal justice professionals are happy to help if you identify yourself as a student. The instructor will help facilitate interviews with criminal justice professionals as necessary, upon request. Paper: A proposed topic and description should be submitted to and approved by the th instructor no later than the 4 week. A paper outline and interview plan (including academic th sources) should be submitted to and approved by the instructor no later than the 10 week. Final th papers are due on December 4 . See additional paper guidelines.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 28 3. Discussion leader: Each student will serve as a discussion leader for part of one class session. This will involve (1) creating a reading guide for one or more of the readings assigned for that class meeting (2) facilitating a student­led discussion of the readings and (3) writing 2­3 quiz questions per reading. Each student will meet with the instructor one week prior to their assigned date to review the reading guide created by the student and coordinate efforts. Grading will be based on (1) demonstrated familiarity with the readings as evidenced by the reading guide questions and through your role as facilitator (you are NOT expected to be an expert, but you are expected to have identified and considered the author’s main points), (2) the quality of reading guide produced and (3) submission of the appropriate number of quiz questions. Reading guides are essentially a set of thought­provoking questions which are intended to clarify concepts or terms, illuminate the importance of a concept or argument made by the author, or apply the concept/argument to another course­relevant topic. 4. Attendance and Participation: Students are an important part of the learning process, therefore class members are expected to attend each class session, to arrive on time (the class begins promptly at 4:20), to come prepared (with all necessary materials and having completed the readings), and to participate actively. Please bring your book and other reading materials assigned to class with you so that we can refer to them during discussions. Evaluation of participation will be based on engagement with class discussions and group activities and on written/oral evidence of completion of reading assignments. Poor participation and unnecessary absences will lower your grade. Evaluation: Grades will be based on two exams (a midterm and a final), a research paper, discussion leader assignment and a required field trip report. Midterm – 25% (10/23/07) Final Exam – 25% (includes take home question and exam on 12/11/07) Research Paper – 25% (due Tuesday, 12/4/07 at 4:20pm in class) Discussion leader assignment – 15% Fieldtrip – 10% (dates to be determined) Grading Scale: A = 93% ­ 100% A­ = 90% ­ 92.9% B+ = 87% ­ 89.9% B = 83% ­ 86.9% B­ = 80% ­ 82.9% C+ = 77% ­ 79.9% C = 73% ­ 76.9% C­ = 70% ­ 72.9% D+ = 67% ­ 69.9% D = 63% ­ 66.9% D­ = 60% ­ 62.9% F = 0 – 59.9%
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 29 In general, written assignments will be evaluated on the basis of—where applicable—technical accuracy, creativity, incorporation of course concepts, depth of analysis, and quality of writing. Frequent grammatical and mechanical errors will adversely affect the score on any written assignment. The following are specific criteria by grade: A: The work plainly demonstrates superior creativity or originality of thought, mastery of course concepts, and accuracy of information and analysis. The writing is of very high quality, with no more than occasional grammar or mechanical errors. B: The work demonstrates an adequate mastery of course concepts. Some originality is evident and information and analysis is accurate for the most part. The writing quality is good, though it may have noticeable grammar or mechanical errors. C: The work demonstrates a minimal level of professional competence. Originality may be lacking. Information or analyses presented may contain glaring inaccuracies. The writing quality is poor. D: The work submitted demonstrates some effort but obviously falls short of minimal professional standards. Course Policies: 1. Attendance: Attendance at class is mandatory and less than stellar attendance (missing more than 2 lectures) can lower your grade, up to one full grade. It is your responsibility to sign the roster during each class. 2. Class Participation: Class participation is expected. Students who intentionally disrupt class or refuse to participate in discussions or activities will lose 1% of their overall grade for each class meeting that was disrupted. 3. Make up exams: There are NO make­up exams. If you can not take an exam on the day it is scheduled, you should take this class at another time. If you miss an exam, you will be given a score of zero for that exam. 4. Papers/assignments: Papers and homework assignments are due in hard copy format at the beginning of class on the due date. Late research papers will NOT be accepted; except under extraordinary circumstances. Homework assignments can be turned in late only by prior arrangement with the instructor. In this case, the maximum “grace period” is one week. 5. Incompletes: Incompletes will only be given in the case of a verified personal/family emergency and with the approval of the department chair and the college dean. 6. Disability Procedure: Any student in this course who has a disability that might prevent her/him from fully demonstrating her/his abilities should meet with an advisor in the Learning Enrichment Center (x3849) as soon as possible to initiate disability verification, and discuss accommodations that may be necessary to ensure his/her full participation in the successful completion of course requirements. 7. Extra Credit: During the course, students will have the opportunity to visit several correctional facilities. Attending one fieldtrip is required; attending additional fieldtrips is extra credit. Students who attend two or more of the scheduled visits will be eligible to receive extra course credit (2% per facility) upon submission of a fieldtrip report for each facility. Your grade can only be raised one notch (ie B+ to A­, C to C+, etc.).
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 30 Honesty and Plagiarism Policy – The mission of Azusa Pacific University includes cultivating in each student not only the academic skills that are required for a university degree, but also the characteristics of academic integrity that are integral to a sound Christian education. It is therefore part of the mission of the university to nurture in each student a sense of moral responsibility consistent with the biblical teachings of honesty and accountability. Furthermore, a breach of academic integrity is viewed not merely as a private matter between the student and an instructor but rather as an act which is fundamentally inconsistent with the purpose and mission of the entire university. A complete copy of the Academic Integrity Policy is available in the Office of Student Life, the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs, and online. Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. If you cheat on an exam or plagiarize any written assignment, you will receive an F for the exam/assignment, an official notice will be placed in your file and you may be prosecuted by APU. Tentative Course Schedule: The following schedule may be changed at the instructor’s discretion. th Week 1: Tue. Sept. 11 : Topic: Course introduction, Law and Social Change Guiding questions: Why do we have laws? What are the origins of law? How did we think about law (theoretical approaches)? • Smith & Natalier­ pgs 1­28, 39­42, 47­62 h Week 2: Tue. Sept. 18 Topic: Law making Guiding questions: How do we make law? What types of law exist? • Calvi, J. V. & Coleman, S. (1992). Chapter 1: Introduction. American Law and Legal Systems. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall • Hames, J. and Ekern, Y. (2006). Chapter 2: Introduction to Law (3rd Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. th Week 3: Tue. Sept. 25 Topic: TBD • Currie – Introduction, Chapters 1 and 2 • Cole, D. (1999). Introduction: No Equal Justice. New York: The New Press. nd Week4: Tue. Oct 2 Research Topic Proposal Due Topic: Law Breaking: Criminological Theories Guiding questions: Why do people commit crime? • Agnew ­ Chapters 6 – 9 th Week 5: Tue. Oct. 9 : Topic: Law Breaking: Criminological Theories – differences in offending Guiding questions: Does biology, social structure, or situation affect criminality? • Agnew ­ Chapters 10 – 12 • St. John, J. (2007) Road Map to Prevention, Time Magazine, 3/15/2007. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1599722,00.html th Week 6: Tue. Oct 16 : Topic: Risk factors for delinquency (individual, family, school/peer/community) Guiding questions: Do delinquents/criminals have any unifying traits or experiences? What do we know about people who commit crime? • Agnew ­ Chapters 13 – 17 • Thornburgh, Nathan (2006, April 17). Dropout Nation. Time, p29.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 31 th Week 7: Tue. Oct 23 : Midterm Exam Topic: Law Breaking: Defining Crime Guiding questions: What types of crime exist? What do 490.5PC, 459PC, and 211PC stand for? How do they differ? What is the difference between murder and manslaughter? • No reading– study for the midterm th Week 8: Tue. Oct 30 : Topic: Law Breaking: Measuring Crime and Prevalence of crime; Current trends Guiding questions: How much crime is there? How do we know how much crime there is? • Agnew ­ Chapter 2 • Currie – pages 80 ­ 109 • Rosenfeld, R. (2004). The Case of the Unsolved Crime Decline. Scientific American, 290, p82­ 90. • Kingsbury, Kathleen (2006, December 11). The Next Crime Wave. Time, 166, p70. th Week 9: Tue. Nov. 6 Topic: Criminal Justice System: Organization & Law Enforcement Guiding questions: • Smith & Natalier­ chapter 3 th Week 10: Tue. Nov. 13 : Outline of research paper due Topic: Criminal Justice System: Judicial System & Sentencing Guiding questions: • Smith & Natalier­ chapter 4 • Bogira, S. (2005). Courtroom 302: A Year behind the Scenes in an American Criminal Courthouse. New York: Knopf, 110­118, 122­123, 175­177. • Leonard, J., Garvey, M. and Smith, D. (2006, May 14). Releasing Inmates Early has a Costly Human Toll. The Los Angeles Times, Orange County Edition, pp.A1, A20­ A22. th Week 11: Tue. Nov. 20 Topic: Criminal Justice System: Theories of Punishment Guiding questions: • Smith & Natalier­ chapter 5 • Currie – pages 110­ 141 • Braithwaite, J. (2005). Crime, Shame, and Reintegration. In Cullen, F. T. & Agnew, R. (eds.) Criminological Theories, Past to Present. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing, 316­319. th Week 12: Tue. Nov. 27 : Topic: Criminal Justice System: Corrections Guiding questions: • Currie – pages 141­ 161 • Elsner, A. (2006). Gates of Injustice: The Crisis in America’s Prisons. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 12­35, 232­241. • Pizarro, J., Stenius, V., and Pratt, T. (2006). Supermax Prisons: Myths, Realities, and the Politics of Punishment in American Society. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 17(1) 6­ 21. th Week 13: Tue. Dec. 4 : Research Paper Due Topic: Wrapping up: Policies & Prescriptions; Guiding questions: what did we learn? Guiding questions: • Currie – chapters 5 and 6
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 32 • Aos, S. Miller, M. and Drake, E. (2006). Evidence­based Adult Corrections Programs: What Works and What Does Not. Olympia: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, p. 1­ st 8. (read this 1 ) • Aos, S. Miller, M. and Drake, E. (2006). Evidence­based Public Policy Options to Reduce Future Prison Construction, Criminal Justice Costs, and Crime Rates. Olympia: nd Washington State Institute for Public Policy, p. 1­17. (read this 2 ) • Nores, M. Belfield, C. Barnett, W., Schweinhart, L. (2005). Updating the Economic Impacts of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 27 (3), p.245­261. (optional) th Tue. Dec 11 4:45 – 6:45: Final Exam; Extra Credit Due Additional guidelines for the research paper • It should be about 9 pages in length (7 page minimum, 15 page maximum). • Double­spaced, using Times New Roman 12pt font and 1” margins. • Provide a contact name and phone number for your interviewees so that your time in the field can be verified, if necessary. • You must turn in a hard (paper) copy of your term paper AND upload your paper to turnitin.com for plagiarism review. • Please use an established method of citing your sources (APA, MLA etc.). • Papers will be graded on content, organization, quality of observation, and your ability to clearly articulate what you have learned about the agency during this course and your ride­along. In other words, writing counts!! • The highest grade you can receive on this paper without “going into the field” is 79%. Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Usage Policy agreement posted on the Turnitin.com site. Should a student object to using turninit.com and choose not to upload his/her paper for plagiarism review, he/she will be required to do the following: (i) write a short (3 pages) reflection paper on research methodology and the importance of giving proper credit to original authors, and (ii) photocopy the cover page and all cited pages of each reference source and submit both with his/her final paper. Introduction (5 pts): Introduce your topic and how it is related to the criminal justice system. Provide a preview of your paper, a road map for the reader. Don’t forget a thesis statement! The issue (20 pts): Clearly describe the issue/topic you chose to address. Define the problem/issue, and give a brief description of the complexities of the issue (at least the ones you are addressing in your paper). In other words, why did you choose this topic­ why is it interesting and/or important? Why should it be interesting or important to me? Provide a brief history of the issue and place it within an appropriate context (social, historical, geographic – whatever is appropriate for YOUR topic). Give me some information about the phenomenon /issue/problem– teach me about it! How common is the issue? Is it a new issue? Or have we struggled with the issue throughout history? Be sue to frame the issue within a criminal justice framework and demonstrate that you are aware of how it effects (or is effected by) criminal justice system practitioners or processes. Research (25 pts): Provide a review of the literature on the topic using at least 3 but preferably 5­ 7scholarly works. What have researchers studied? Are their questions/answers directly related to
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 33 your question/issue? If so, what conclusions have the experts come to? Do they agree or disagree? If they disagree, what are the points of contention? How should we handle this – what conclusions, if any, can we draw from their disagreements? Explain the research findings and why they are important (assuming they are). Are there any glaring gaps in the research? If there is no research directly related to your issues, what research is most related? What are those findings? Why do you think there is a gap (why is no one looking at this topic)? Do you have any ideas on what some “next steps” for researchers might be? Impact on the system – Interview/s (15 pts): According to your interviewees how does your issue affect the criminal justice system, the practitioners within the system or offenders? Alternatively, how is your issue influenced by various criminal justice practitioners, agencies, or components within the system? Who did you interview? What job do they do and what responsibilities do they have? What did you find through your interviews? How does it play out in the criminal justice system? What processes or procedures does it affect? What effect does it have? How or why does it have that effect? Explain in detail. For example, does it change the racial dynamics in prison? Does it impact who gets bail? If so, how does it effect who gets bail. Does it slow down or speed up the court process? Does it impact how police officers deal with certain offenders, crimes, or neighborhoods? If so, which offenders, neighborhoods, crimes? Does it impact sentences offenders convicted of a crime are given (or choose)? Does the issue play out in the real world as researchers theorize it does? How do criminal justice professionals (police officers, judges, correctional officers, probation officers, lawyers…) see the issue? Do they see it the same way researchers do? Why or why not? What lessons might you offer based on your findings? Make sure to demonstrate that you understand the system, its components and interrelated processes. Conclusion (5 pts): Wrap it up. Remind the reader what you said. Summarize your argument. Format (10 pts): Spelling, punctuation, grammar, proper citations, organization, overall quality of paper. CRIME & DELINQUENCY BIBLIOGRAPHY Adler, P., & Adler, P. (1994). Constructions of Deviance. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. nd Agnew, R. (2005). Juvenile Delinquency, 2 ed. Los Angeles: Roxbury. Akers, R. (2000). Criminological theories. Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury. Aos, S. Miller, M. and Drake, E. (2006). Evidence­based Adult Corrections Programs: What Works and What Does Not. Olympia: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, p1­8. Aos, S. Miller, M. and Drake, E. (2006). Evidence­based Public Policy Options to Reduce Future Prison Construction, Criminal Justice Costs, and Crime Rates. Olympia: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, p. 1­17. Barakan, S. (2006). Criminology: A sociological understanding. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Belenko, S., Fagan, J., & Chin, K.­l. (1991). Criminal justice responses to crack. Journal of Research in Crime & Delinquency, 28(1), 55­74. Bernard, T. J., Paoline III, E. A., & Pare, P.­P. (2005). General systems theory and criminal justice. Journal of Criminal Justice, 33(3), 203­211. Berreuta­Clement, J. R., Schweinhart, L. J., Barnett, W. S., Epstein, A. S., & Weikart, D. P. (1985). Changed Lives: The Effects of the Perry Preschool Program on Youths Through Age 19. Ypsilanti, MI: High Scope Press. Blumstein, A. (2002). Prisons: A Policy Challenge. In J. Q. Wilson & J. Petersilia (Eds.), Crime: Public Policies for Crime Control (pp. 451­482). Oakland, CA: ICS Press. Blumstein, A., & Beck, A. J. (1999). Population Growth in U.S. Prisons, 1980 ­ 1996. In M. Tonry & J. Petersilia (Eds.), Prisons (Vol. 26). Chicago: University of Chicago Pressq.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 34 Bonczar, T. P. (2003). Prevalence of Imprisonment in the U.S. Population, 1974­2001 (Special Report). Washington DC: US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Bourgois, P. (2004). "Workday world, crack economy." Crisis in American institutions (12 edit.). New York: Allyn and Bacon. Braithwaite, J. 2005. Crime, Shame, and Reintegration. In Cullen, F. T. & Agnew, R. (eds.) Criminological Theories, Past to Present. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing, 316­319. Calvi, J. V. & Coleman, S. (1992). Chapter 1: Introduction. American Law and Legal Systems. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Chaiken, J. M., & Chaiken, M. R. (1990). Drugs and predatory crime. In M. Tonry & J. Q. Wilson (Eds.), Drugs and Crime (pp. 203­239). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Chambliss, W.J. (1994). “Policing the Ghetto Underclass: The Politics of Law and Law Enforcement.” Social Problems 41 (2): 177­194. Clear, T. R. (1996). Backfire: When Incarceration Increases Crime. Journal­of­the­Oklahoma­ Criminal­Justice­Research­Consortium,, 3, 7­17. Clear, T. R., Rose, D. R., Waring, E., & Scully, K. (2003). Coercive mobility and crime: A Preliminary examination of concentrated incarceration and social disorganization. Justice Quarterly, 20(1), 33. Crane, J. (Ed.). (1998). Social Programs that work. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Cromwell, P. (1999). In their own words: Criminals on crime. Los Angeles: Roxbury. Cullen, F., & Gendreau, P. (2001). From Nothing Works to What Works: Changing Professional Ideology in the 21st Century. The Prison Journal, 81(3), 313­338. Currie, E. (1998). Crime and Punishment in America. New York: Henry Holt. Dowden, C., & Andrews, D. A. (2003). Does Family Intervention Work for Delinquents? Results of a Meta­Analysis. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice/Revue canadienne de criminologie et de justice penale, 45(3), 327­342. Elsner, A. (2006). Gates of Injustice: The Crisis in America’s Prisons. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 12­35, 232­241. Emerman, J. (2003). The 8% solution: Preventing serious, repeat juvenile crime. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 20(3), 227­229. Fagan, J., Zimring, F. E., & Kim, J. (1998). Declining Homicide in New York City: A Tale of Two Trends. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 88(4), 1277­1323. Farrington, D. P. (2002). Families and Crime. In J. Q. Wilson & J. Petersilia (Eds.), Crime (pp. 129­ 148). Oakland, CA: Institute for Contemporary Studies. Farrington, D. P., & Welsh, B. C. (2003). Family­Based Prevention of Offending: A Meta­Analysis. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 36(2), 127­151. Gendreau, P., Goggin, C., & Cullen, F. (1999). The Effects of Prison Sentences on Recidivism. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Department of the Solicitor General Canada. Gendreau, P., Little, T., & Goggin, C. (1996). A Meta­Analysis of the Predictors of Adult Offender Recidivism: What Works! Criminology, 34(4), 575­606. Goldkamp, J. S., White, M. D., & Robinson, J. B. (2001). Do drug courts work? Getting inside the drug court black box. Journal of Drug Issues, 31(1), 27­72. Greenwood, P., Model, K. E., Rydell, C. P., & Chiesa, J. (1996). Diverting Children from a Life of Crime: Measuring Costs and Benefits. Santa Monica, CA: RAND. rd Hames, J. and Ekern, Y. (2006). Chapter 2: Introduction to Law (3 Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Huckabee, M. (1998). Kids Who Kill. Nashville: Broadman & Holman. Irwin, J., & Austin, J. (1994). It's about time: America's imprisonment binge. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 35 James, H. 1977. Crisis in the Courts. New York: David McKay. Kingsbury, Kathleen (2006, December 11). The Next Crime Wave. Time, 166, p70 LaFree, G. D. (1989). Rape and Criminal Justice: The Social Construction of Sexual Assault Cases. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Langan, P. A., & Levin, D. J. (2002). Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 1994. Washington DC: USDOJ, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Leonard, J., Garvey, M. and Smith, D. (2006, May 14). Releasing Inmates Early has a Costly Human Toll. The Los Angeles Times, Orange County Edition, pp.A1, A20­ A22. Levitt, S. D. (2003). Understanding Why Crime Fell in the 1990's: Four Factors that Explain the Decline and Six that Do Not. Draft. Mackenzie, D. L. (2000). Evidence­Based Corrections: Identifying What Works. Crime & Delinquency, 46(4), 457­471. Maruna, S., & Toch, H. (2003). The Impact of Imprisonment on the Desistance Process. In draft. Mauer, M. (2001). The Race to Incarcerate. New York: New Press. Mauer, M. ed. (2002). The Collateral Consequences of Mass Imprisonment. New York: The New Press. Nagin, D. (1998). Deterrence and Incapacitation. In M. Tonry (Ed.), The Handbook of Crime and Punishment. New York: Oxford University Press. Nores, M. Belfield, C. Barnett, W., Schweinhart, L. (2005). Updating the Economic Impacts of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 27 (3), p.245­ 261. Petersilia, J. (1999). A Decade of Experimenting with Intermediate Sanctions: What Have We Learned? Corrections Management Quarterly, 3(3), 19­27. Petersilia, J. (2003). When Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry. New York: Oxford University Press. Petersilia, J., & Turner, S. (1986). Prison versus Probation in California: Implications for Crime and Offender Recidivism (No. R­3323­NIJ). Santa Monica, CA: RAND. Pizarro, J., Stenius, V., and Pratt, T. (2006). Supermax Prisons: Myths, Realities, and the Politics of Punishment in American Society. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 17(1) 6­21. Powell, D. D. 1981. “Race, Rank, and Police Discretion.” Journal of Police Science and Administration 9 (4): 383­389. Rosenfeld, R. (2004). The Case of the Unsolved Crime Decline. Scientific American, 290, p82­90. Sherman, L., Gottfredson, D., Mackenzie, D., Eck, J., Reuter, P., & Bushway, S. (1997). Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising (Report to U.S. Congress No. NCJ 165366). College Park: University of Maryland. th Skolnick, J. and Currie, E. (2004). Crisis in American institutions (12 Ed.). New York: Allyn and Bacon. Smith, P. and Natalier, K. (2005). Understanding Criminal Justice: Sociological Perspectives. London: Sage. St. John, J. (2007). Road Map to Prevention, Time Magazine, 3/15/2007. Thornburgh, Nathan (2006, April 17). Dropout Nation. Time, p.29. Tonry, M. (1995). Malign Neglect: Race, Crime, and Punishment in America. New York: Oxford University Press. Tonry, M. (1995). Twenty years of sentencing reform: steps forward, steps backward. Judicature, 78(4), 169­172. Tonry, M. (2004). Thinking about Crime: Sense and Sensibility in American Penal Culture. New York: Oxford University Press.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 36 Tonry, M., & Wilson, J. Q. (1990). Drugs and Crime. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Turner, S., Longshore, D., Wenzel, S., Deschenes, E., Greenwood, P., Fain, T., et al. (2002). A decade of drug treatment court research. Substance Use & Misuse.Special issue on drug treatment courts, 37(12­13), 1489­1521. Visher, C. A. (1983). “Gender, Police Arrest Decisions, and Notions of Chivalry.” Criminology 11 (1): 5­28. Wilson, J. Q., & Kelling, G. L. (1982). Broken Windows. The Atlantic Monthly, 29­38. Zimring, F. E., & Fagan, J. (2000). The search for causes in an era of crime declines: some lessons from the study of New York City homicide. Crime and Delinquency, 46(4), 446­456. Zimring, F. E., & Hawkins, G. (1994). The Growth of Imprisonment in California. British Journal of Criminology, 34, 83­96. Zimring, F. E., Hawkins, G., & Kamin, S. (2001). Punishment and Democracy: Three Strikes and You're Out in California. New York: Oxford University Press.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 37 Sociology 341: Criminology College of Charleston Fall 2007 INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Heath C. Hoffmann 88 Wentworth, Room 104 [email protected] Phone: 953­8182 OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays and Thursdays 9­11 a.m. or send me an e­mail to make an appointment CLASS HOURS: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:15­1:30 p.m. and 1:40­2:55 p.m. in Bellsouth Building 415 "A man's [or woman’s] knowledge is like an expanding sphere, the surface corresponding to the boundary between the known and the unknown. As the sphere grows, so does its surface; the more a man [or woman] learns, the more he realizes how much he doesn't know. Hence, the most ignorant man [or woman] thinks he knows it all." ­ L. Sprague de Camp “Lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on my end.” ­ Unknown Origin This class will introduce you to the sociological and social psychological study of crime. By the end of the semester you should be able to 1) identify, understand and discuss the primary explanations of criminal behavior so that you can stimulate discussion at parties and family gatherings; 2) Understand the motivation for and organization of different criminal offenses and enterprises; and 3) become a critical consumer of the media and political discourse about crime and criminals in American society. OFFENSIVE MATERIAL: In learning about crime and deviance you will encounter subjects, language, depictions, or attitudes that may be disturbing or offensive. I have listed the content for each day’s class so that you can gauge your own comfort level with the material. COURSE MATERIALS AND WebCT Francis T. Cullen and Robert Agnew. 2006. Criminological Theory: Past to Present. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing. (Available at University Books on King Street). Additional assigned readings are available electronically on the WebCT page for this course. All of these articles are in PDF format, which requires you to use Acrobat Reader (all library computers should have this program) to view these files. If you do not have Acrobat Reader (or have a version less than 7.0—version 8.0 is now available) installed on your home computer and wish to access these articles from home, go to: http://www.download.com/Adobe­Reader/3000­2378_4­10614498.html?tag=lst­0­2, click “Download Now” for the program you want and it will be installed on your computer legally and for free. To access WebCT go to www.cofc.edu and click on “WebCT”. Log on to WebCT using your ID number that CofC has given you and your CougarTrail PIN number (first six digits if it includes more than six digits). I will use WebCT to update you on class events and assignments and you can use WebCT to communicate with me and/or your classmates via e­mail or by posting comments and questions on discussion boards. I recommend that you check WebCT regularly for announcements. COMMUNICATION DEVICES When you come to class please be sure to turn off your cell phones, two­way text messengers, pagers and other communication devices that might distract you, your classmates, or me.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 38 DISABILITIES Students with documented disabilities should talk with me personally at the beginning of the semester to make necessary accommodations. I will not make special accommodations during an exam period or after a deadline has passed so you must make arrangements beforehand. CLASS ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION I expect you to attend every class session. This class will be interactive and not strictly a lecture course, making your participation key to the success (for me and you) of the class. Thus, I expect each of you to take an active role in your education. This involves 1) coming to class on time, 2) having read the assigned readings before coming to class and 3) being prepared to participate in class discussion and activities. If you do not feel comfortable speaking in class and have things to say, you are welcome to share your ideas with me via e­mail. I will take roll at the beginning of class. If you are absent during seven (7) of those roll calls, regardless of whether it is an excused or unexcused absence, you will be dropped from the course for excessive absences. Leaving class [other than for a bathroom trip] before the end of the class period counts as an absence. If you encounter medical problems during the semester that require you to miss seven or more classes, you can contact the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (953­5674) to arrange a Medical Withdrawal from the class. Tardiness is one of my pet peeves so please be in a seat by the time class is scheduled to start. If you have a long distance to travel between classes and expect that you will frequently be late, talk with me. Otherwise, buying coffee, oversleeping, finishing a cigarette or chatting with a friend are not legitimate reasons for being late to class. If you miss a class in which we have a graded in­class exercise or a video, you will not be able to make up the assignment or borrow the video (some videos may be available in the library’s media collection—most are my own personal copies) regardless of the reason for your absence. If you must leave class early, please sit in a seat nearest the door so as to minimize the disruption when you leave. Attendance and participation will be worth 10% of your final grade. See the last page of the syllabus for a break down of how the attendance and participation points will be awarded. STUDENT HONOR CODE Lying, cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code that, when identified, are investigated. Each instance is examined to determine the degree of deception involved. Cases of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly to the Dean of Students. A student found responsible for academic dishonesty will receive a XF in the course, indicating failure of the course due to academic dishonesty. This grade will appear on the student’s transcript for two years after which the student may petition for the X to be expunged. The student may also be placed on disciplinary probation, suspended (temporary removal) or expelled (permanent removal) from the College by the Honor Board. It is important for students to remember that unauthorized collaboration­­working together without permission­­ is a form of cheating. Unless a professor specifies that students can work together on an assignment and/or test, no collaboration is permitted. Other forms of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized study aid (such as a PDA), copying from another’s exam, fabricating data, and giving unauthorized assistance. Remember, research conducted and/or papers written for other classes cannot be used in whole or in part for any assignment in this class without obtaining prior permission from the professor. You can find a complete version of the Honor Code and all related processes in the Student Handbook at http://www.cofc.edu/studentaffairs/general_info/studenthandbook.html. EXAMS We will have three exams based on the assigned readings, lecture, class discussions, videos and guest speakers. Each exam will consist of multiple choice, true/false, and fill­in­the­blank questions with short answer and/or essay questions. The final exam will be cumulative consisting of some questions from the first two exams. EXAM MAKEUP POLICY The exam dates are clearly listed on the syllabus and you should be prepared to take the exams on those days. However, life often hits us with unforeseen situations. Makeup exams will only be offered if: 1) you are in the hospital or visiting a doctor because you are ill, 2) there has been a death in the family, or 3) you have been involved in an auto accident. These are three legitimate reasons to miss an exam. Barring a serious injury, you must make arrangements with me prior to the scheduled exam period in order to be
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 39 granted a make­up exam. Make­up exams will consist entirely of short­answer and essay questions and must be completed the week following the scheduled exam. FINAL GRADE POINT DISTRIBUTION Exam 1 25% Exam 2 30% Final Exam (cumulative) 35% Attendance & Participation 10% FINAL LETTER GRADES Your final grade will be calculated by adding the weighted scores on the above graded elements. WebCt will be set up to make these calculations throughout the semester and you can check your progress at any time (go to WebCT and click on “My Grades”). Final letter grades will be given according to the following scale: 96.0­100% A (4.0) 74.0­76.9% C (2.0) 90.0­95.9% A­ (3.7) 70.0­73.9% C­ (1.7) 87.0­89.9% B+ (3.3) 67.0­69.9% D+ (1.3) 84.0­86.9% B (3.0) 64.0­66.9% D (1.0) 80.0­83.9% B­ (2.7) 60.0­63.9% D­ (0.7) 77.0­79.9% C+ (2.3) ≤59.9% F (0) NOTE: I do not round grades up. Thus, if your final point total is 89.9% at the end of the semester, you will receive a “B+”. Extra credit assignments will not be given to individual students after the last day of class or after your final grade has been calculated. CLASS SCHEDULE
August 21: Review Syllabus.
August 23: Constructing Definitions of Crime.
• Read “Fear, the Media and the Construction of Deviance” by Barry Glassner From Investigating
Deviance: An Anthology by Bruce Jacobs. (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “The Crack Attack” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
August 28: Constructing Definitions of Crime.
• Read “The Next Big Thing: Methamphetamine in the U.S.” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Video: Frontline, “The Meth Epidemic”
August 30: Sources of Crime Data.
• Read “Researching Crack Dealers” by Bruce Jacobs. From Investigating Deviance: An Anthology by
Bruce Jacobs. (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read pages 20-23 and pages 27-32 by Larry Siegel from his textbook, Criminology: The Core .
(Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
September 4: Prevalence of Crime
• Read “Crime and Policy: A Complex Problem” from Samuel Walker‛s Sense and Nonsense About
Crime and Drugs (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “Where Have All the Criminals Gone” by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. Pages 115-143 in
(2005) Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything. New York:
William Morrow. (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
September 6: Classical and Rational Choice Theory
• Read “Deter the Criminals” from Samuel Walker‛s Sense and Nonsense About Crime and Drugs
(Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 40 • Read “The Socially Bounded Decision Making of Persistent Property Offenders” (Posted on
WebCT under “Articles”)
September 11: Structural Theories of Crime
• Read pages 86-94 (“The Chicago School: The City, Social Disorganization, and Crime”) in Cullen and
Agnew (pp. 95-103 in 2nd Edition)
• Read “Collective Efficacy and Crime” (Chapter 9 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 10 in 2nd Edition)
• Read “Social Structure and Anomie” (Chapter 15 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 16 in 2nd Edition)
September 13: Entrepreneurial Crime on the Streets.
• Read “Crime and the American Dream” (Chapter 18 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 19 in 2nd Edition)
• Read “A Double Life—A Violent Death” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “Why do Drug Dealers Still Live with Their Moms” by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner.
Pages 89-114 in (2005) Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything.
New York: William Morrow. (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
September 18 & 20: Entrepreneurial Crime in the Suites.
• “The State and White-Collar Crime: Saving the Savings and Loans” by Calavita and Pontell from
Crime and Criminals, edited by Scarpitti and Nielsen. (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
September 25: Exam 1.
September 27: Psychology and Neurobiology of Crime.
• Read “Personality and Crime: Are Some People Crime Prone?” (Chapter 6 in Cullen and Agnew)
• Read “Sneaky Thrills” by Jack Katz (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”, use password “crime”)
• Read “Serial Killers: Antecedent Behaviors and the Act of Murder” (Posted on WebCT under
“Articles”) WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF MURDERS
COMBINED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND VICTIM MUTILATION.
October 2: Social Learning and Control Bonding Theories
• Read “A Theory of Differential Association” (Chapter 10 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 11 in 2nd Edition)
• Read “Doctors Tell Their Stories of Medicaid Fraud” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”);
Consult “Techniques of Neutralization” if the above article is unclear to you (Chapter 11 in Cullen
and
Agnew; Ch. 12 in 2nd Edition)
• Read “Social Bond Theory” (Chapter 20 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 22 in 2nd Edition)
• Read “From Victims to Survivors to Offenders” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “Judge delays sentence for football” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “Of Human Bonding” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
October 4: Labeling Theory.
• Read “Defiance Theory” (Chapter 26 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 31 in 2nd Edition)
• Read “Sex Offender Community Notification: Managing High Risk Criminal or Exacting Further
Vengeance” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “Sign postings not first for Texas” and “Sex Offenders Find Publicity Is Costly” (Posted on
WebCT
under “Articles”)
October 9: Labeling Theory and Restorative Justice: Opportunities for Change Over the Life
Course.
• Read Pages 482-494, “Developmental Theories: Crime and the Life Course” in Cullen and Agnew.
• Read “Crime, Shame and Reintegration” (Chapter 25 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 30 in 2nd Edition)
• Video: Facing the Demons
October 11: Drugs and Crime.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 41 • Read “The Drugs-Crime Connection” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “Therapeutic Adjudication” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
October 16: NO CLASS…FALL BREAK!!!
October 18: Gender and Crime
• Read “A Feminist Theory of Female Delinquency” (Chapter 33 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 40 in 2nd
Edition)
• Read “Masculinities and Crime” (Chapter 35 in Cullen and Agnew; Ch. 41 in 2nd Edition
• Read “When Yes Doesn‛t Mean Yes” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
October 23: Entrepreneurial Crime or Exploitation? The Case of Sex Workers.
• Read “Pride in One‛s Work” by Alexa Albert from Brothel: Mustang Ranch and Its Women. (Posted
on WebCT under “Articles”) WARNING: This reading contains an explicit description of a sex act
performed by a brothel prostitute
and her male client on pages 111-114.
• Video: “Sex for Sale”
October 25: Exam 2
October 30 & November 1: Child Prostitution and Child Sex Tourism.
• Read “Sex Tourism and Child Prostitution in Asia” by Heather Montgomery. (Posted on WebCT
under
“Articles”)
• Read “The Facts About Child Sex Tourism” by the U.S. Department of State (Posted on WebCT
under
“Articles”)
November 6 & 8: Predatory Crime: Sexual Assault.
• Video: Sentencing the Victim (1:33 min)
November 13: Predatory Crime: Sexual Assault.
• Read Joanna Katz speech to the NC Dept. of Probation, Pardon and Parole. (Posted on WebCT
under
“Articles”)
• Read “The Rape Kit Controversy” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “Date Rape” by Eugene Kanin (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”, use password “crime”)
November 15: Predatory Crime: Child Sex Predators.
• Read “Pedophiles and Child Molesters” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “The Boylove Manifesto” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “Through His Webcam, a Boy Joins a Sordid Online World” (Posted on WebCT under
“Articles”)
November 20: Moralistic Crime.
• Read “Foundations of Honor” by Mark Cooney (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “New York Killers, and Those Killed, by the Numbers” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
November 22: NO CLASS…HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
November 27: Spousal and Partner Abuse.
• Read “Domestic Violence Between Same Gender Partners” (Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
• Read “When Victims Become Defendants: Battered Women Charged with Crimes” by Sue Osthoff.
(Posted on WebCT under “Articles”)
November 29: Spousal and Partner Abuse.
FINAL EXAM: • 1:40-2:55 Class: Thursday, December 6, 12-3 p.m.; • 12:15-1:30 Class: Tuesday,
December 11, 12-3 p.m.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 42 Rutgers University –Newark Department of Criminal justice Fall 2007 Instructor: Jon M. Shane, M.A. Course Meeting Time/Place: Friday 6 PM to 9 PM, Hill Hall, Room 107 Office: 123 Washington Street, Center for Law and Justice, School of Criminal Justice, Office 576 Office Hours: By arrangement only Email: [email protected] Course Overview “Criminology has emerged as an important social and behavioral science devoted to the study of crime as a social phenomenon. Criminology fosters theoretical debates, contributes ideas and suggests solutions to a crime problem that many consider intolerable. Problems as vital and urgent as those addressed in this [course] are challenging exciting, and, at the same time, disturbing and tragic. Moreover, these problems are immediately relevant to students’ lives” (Adler, Mueller and Laufer, 2007:xix). The goal of this course is to provide students with a broad understanding of the antecedents, correlates and causes of crime and criminality, the contributing theories, and the relevant research. Also included will be discussions on the institutions that regulate crime and behavior as well U.S. and international comparisons. I. II. Required Readings A. Books: Adler, F., Mueller, G.O.W. and Laufer, W. (2007). Criminology. New York: McGraw­Hill AND Cullen, F. and Agnew, R. (2007). Criminological theory past to present. Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury. B. The book order was placed at New Jersey Books, 167 University Ave Newark, NJ (corner Bleeker Street/973­624­5383). C. Supplemental articles distributed in class D. Internet­based articles to supplement readings E. BlackBoard articles Recommended Readings. This course requires two writing assignments. To become a better writer it is essential to practice writing, particularly those who are contemplating graduate school. Here are three sources that will help you write better empirical research papers, improve comprehension of scientific journal articles and improve your understanding of research methods. A. Pyrczak, F. and Bruce, R. R. (2007). Writing empirical research reports. 6 th ed. Glendale, Ca: Pyrczak Publishing. B. Pyrczak, F. (2005). Evaluating research in academic journals. 3 rd . Glendale, Ca: Pyrczak Publishing. C. Patten, M.L. (2007). Understanding research methods: An overview of the essentials. 6 th ed. Glendale, Ca: Pyrczak Publishing.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 43 D. Books can be ordered at www.pyrczak.com
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 44 III. Exams and Writing Assignments A. Assignment #1 15% B. Midterm Exam 30% C. Assignment #2 25% D. Final Exam 30% TOTAL 100% E. IV. Written Assignments 1. Follow the instructions in the document entitled Writing Requirements and Guidelines posted on BlackBoard. 2. Assignment #1. Due October 5 th . Locate a newspaper article on a criminal event from one of the following sources only: the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Star Ledger or the Washington Post. The article must not be older than four weeks of the due date. Make certain the article is about a criminal event and not a summary of previous criminal event. You may use the web sites of the aforementioned sources or hard copy and you must attach the article to your assignment. Write a two­page paper explaining the crime from the classical school and the positivist school perspectives (do not exceed 1 page each). Be sure to include the principle tenets of each school of thought as they relate to the criminal event. 3. Assignment # 2 Due November 30 th . Select a criminological theory of your choice. Locate one journal article that supports your theory and one that does not support your theory. You must use only a peer­ reviewed journal 1 such as Criminology, Criminology and Public Policy, Justice Quarterly, or Police Quarterly within the last five years. You are not limited to these journals, but are specifically restricted from using Wikipedia or similar encyclopedic sources. You may use the Internet for research and you must attach the articles to your assignment. Write a three­page paper describing the theory and the article’s findings. Be sure to outline the principle tenets that were supported and those that were not. After analyzing the theory, state concluding thoughts: Should this theory be accepted or rejected when creating crime control policies? Why? Recommendation: Use the Don Gottfredson Criminal Justice Library at the School of Criminal Justice and ask librarian Phyllis Schultze for help. Mrs. Schultze is co­author of Criminal Justice Information, How to Find it, How to Use it. She is remarkable and will help as best she can to get you what you need! 4. All writing assignments shall be written in MS Word and submitted via email to [email protected]. Numerical Grades A. A 90­100 B+ 86­89 B 80­85 C+ 76­79 C 70­75 D 65­69 1 Peer review (known as refereeing in some academic fields) is a scholarly process used in the publication of manuscripts. Peer review is the process by which research articles are reviewed and critiqued by experts in that field before publication.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 45 F Below 65 There will not be any temporary/incomplete grades issued. All course requirements must be completed by the end of the semester. If all course requirements are not met, then a failing grade will be assigned. C. Numerical grades will be rounded up from .5 and higher. V. Prerequisites – There are no prerequisites for enrollment in this class. VI. Exams and Writing Assignments A. Since some students perform well on multiple choice tests and others on short answer or fill­in, exams may be designed with both types to ensure different students have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject material. B. The short answer part may consist of fill­in questions or longer answers. All exams will be objective, that is, the material comes exactly from a documented source (i.e., the required texts, articles, handouts or lecture notes). This will remove differences in interpretation and source. C. All exams cover the assigned readings and lectures prior to the exam date. The final exam will cover all of the material from the mid term exam forward. The exams are not cumulative; however, extra credit questions may derive from material covered at any point during the semester. D. There are NO make­up exams without a documented, verifiable medical excusal or emergency excusal on the day of the exam. You must meet with me prior to the exam to explain your absence and present verifiable documentation upon return. Your documentation will be your “ticket” to admittance for the make­up exam. E. Make up exams will be different from the original exam. F. All writing assignments are due on or before the due date. Exceptions are the same as listed in “D” above. G. Plagiarism and other forms academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Refer to section IX for further details. VII. Attendance A. Since exam material is heavily dependent on class lectures, students are expected to attend every class. B. An attendance sheet will be distributed each class. It is your responsibility to sign the sheet next to your name. If your signature does not appear next to your name you will be marked absent. Please do not forget to sign the attendance roster since forgetfulness is not an acceptable excusal. C. Three or more absences will result in a loss of one full letter grade without suitable documentation as described by University policy. VIII. General Classroom Conduct and Responsibilities A. The teaching style will be the Socratic method: teaching by asking instead of by telling. This means I will call upon specific students to answer questions. To avoid uncomfortable situations, please be prepared to participate in discussion. Your classmates and I will appreciate your attentiveness and participation. B. Discussion is a key aspect of this course. Each of us has unique backgrounds, life experiences and opinions. Sharing these is invaluable to the classroom experience. Feel free to challenge the course material. If you have a different experience or completely disagree with a point someone else has made, please present to the contrary. Please disagree with me and your classmates. Express your opinions and experiences freely; just do so in a mature and intellectual manner. Your argument should be logically based. C. There is to be no argument by ad hominem. All discussions will be mature and free of personal bias, which includes being rude toward others. Be
B. ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 46 IX. respectful when voicing your opinion, and be receptive to other people’s point of view. This is a very enriching part of learning. D. Ask questions!! The only stupid questions are those that do not get asked! This is important to your overall academic experience as well as a process you should carry with you beyond the classroom. E. You are responsible for all readings whether or not they are covered in the lectures. The readings serve as source materials for all exams. F. Please eat and drink quietly and politely. Police your area by discarding all trash. G. Because of security, ALL students visiting the CLJ building (123 Washington St.) MUST have an official Rutgers identification card. This includes visiting classroom 025, using the SCJ library or scheduling office hours with me. You can obtain a card from Blumenthal Hall, 3 rd floor. The cards cost $5.00. H. Do not be late to class, it is disruptive and rude. Be punctual! I. Do not disrupt others by talking, reading outside materials such as newspapers or magazines and generally not paying attention to the lecture. J. Turn off all electronic devices, cell phones, pagers etc. that can be disruptive. Interruptions from cell phones are particularly annoying because of the ring tones. Such interruptions may result in you being asked to leave the classroom. If you are using a laptop computer to take notes, turn the volume off. K. Ensure your email address is current and contained in BlackBoard. Email is used to distribute course materials and communicate with students. Individual email messages cannot be sent, which is why BlackBoard inclusion is paramount. Policies, Procedures and Academic Integrity A. Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, and all other violations of academic integrity will not be tolerated and will be reported to university officials for proper action. B. Please refer your student book of conduct/ethics for details. To view the University's Code of Student Conduct visit http://polcomp.rutgers.edu/judaff/ucsc.shtml. Please visit http://dsa.newark.rutgers.edu/Freshmen/index.htm for additional information regarding Rutgers Newark. C. ADA Procedures. Students requiring special consideration relating to a disability covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Acts (ADA) of 1990 should call the Office of Student Activities and Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities at (973) 353­5300 or (973) 353­5881. The office is located at the Paul Robeson Campus Center, Room #234 or fax (973) 353­5666.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 47 X. XI. 2 Course Documents A. Course documents may be obtained from http://blackboard.newark.rutgers.edu/. Students should check Blackboard often since documents may be added or modified, including the syllabus. B. All students can login using their net ID and password. If you need further assistance using the Blackboard system contact the Help Desk at 973­353­ 5083 or email [email protected]. Obtaining access to Blackboard is your responsibility. Course Schedule 2 A. Part I, Understanding Criminology September 7 th 1. Syllabus 2. Course expectations 3. Introduction and class discussion 4. Chapter 1, The Changing Boundaries of Criminology B. September 14 th 1. Chapter 2, Counting Crime and Measuring Criminal Behavior 2. Chapter 3, Schools of Thought throughout History 3. Writing assignment #1; review select newspapers for a criminal event; due October 5 th . 4. Cullen and Agnew: a. Introduction, p.1 b. The Origins of Modern Criminology, p.18 c. The Criminal Man, p.26 d. Individual Traits and Crime, p.29 C. Part II, Explanations of Crime and Criminal Behavior September 21 st 1. Chapter 4, Psychological and Biological Perspectives 2. Cullen and Agnew: a. Does the Body Tell? Biological Characteristics and Criminal Disposition, p.67 b. A Theory of Differential Association, p.122 D. September 28 th 1. Chapter 5, Strain and Cultural Deviance Theories 2. Cullen and Agnew: a. The Chicago School: The City, Social Disorganization and Crime, p.86 b. Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas, p.95 c. Anomie/Strain Theories of Crime, p.162 d. Social Structure and Anomie, p.171 E. October 5 th 1. Chapter 6, The Formation of Subcultures 2. Cullen and Agnew: a. Learning to Be a Criminal, p.115 b. Code of the Street, p.151 c. The Thesis of a Subculture of Violence, p.147 3. Writing assignment #1 due F. October 12 th 1. Chapter 7, Social Control Theory This schedule is tentative and may be altered at any point during the semester without prior notice.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 48 2. Cullen and Agnew: a. Varieties of Control Theory, p.210 b. Social Bond Theory, p.219 c. A General Theory of Crime, p.228 G. October 19 th 1. Mid­term exam 2. Full class period H. October 26 th 1. Chapter 8, Labeling, Conflict and Radical Theories 2. Cullen and Agnew: a. Labeling, Interaction and Crime: Societal Reaction and the Creation of Criminals, p.264 b. Primary and Secondary Deviance, p.273 c. Defiance Theory, p.286 nd I. November 2 1. Chapter 9, Environmental Theory 2. Cullen and Agnew: a. Reviving Classical Theory: Deterrence and Rational Choice b. Crime as a Rationale Choice, p.404 c. Environmental Criminology, p.427 d. Routine Activity Theory, p.433 e. Situational Crime Prevention, p.444 3. Writing assignment #2; select a theory of your choice; due November 30 th J. Part III, Types of Crimes, November 9 th 1. Chapter 10, Violent Crimes 2. Visit http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/ for an overview of violent crime. Review the sections on murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault K. November 9 th 1. Chapter 11, Crime Against Property 2. Visit http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/ for an overview of property crime. Review the sections on burglary, larceny­theft, motor vehicle theft and arson L. November 16 th 1. Chapter 12, White­collar and Corporate Crime 2. Visit http://www.fbi.gov/whitecollarcrime.htm for an overview of white collar crime investigated by the FBI Thanksgiving recess; No class November 22 to November 25, 2007 M. N. O. November 30 th 1. Chapter 13, Public Order Crimes 2. Cullen and Agnew: a. Conservative Theories of Crime, p.452 b. Broken Windows, p.463 3. BlackBoard: Broken Windows flow sequence 4. Writing assignment #2 due December 7 th 1. Chapter 14, International and Comparative Criminology 2. Final exam review December 14 th 1. Final exam 2. Full class period 3. Grades will be posted according to University policy
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 49 IONA COLLEGE Department of Sociology ■ CRIMINOLOGY (SOC 407 A, B) Instructor: Josh Klein ■ Email: [email protected] Office Hours: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Monday and 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Tuesday, and by Appt. Course Description A study of different types of criminal behavior ­ violent, property, organized, business, and political crime. We will examine the relationship between theory and research in studying crime and their implications for prevention and rehabilitation. 3 credits. Course Objectives: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) An understanding of the nature and causes of crime An understanding of the evolvement of criminal law An understanding of research methods used in the field of criminology An ability to analyze statistical data and to read tables An understanding of the criminal justice system An understanding of the relationship of the public and larger society to crime and justice Required Reading 1) Barlow, Hugh D. and David Kauzlarich. 2001. Introduction to Criminology. 8th ed., Prentice Hall. This text has a companion website (wps.prenhall.com/hss_barlow_introduct_8), which features practice questions and web sites related to each chapter, as well as links to criminology­related newspaper articles in the New York Times. 2) Occasional handouts. Recommended Books (1), Periodicals (2), and Websites (3) 1) Reiman, Jeffrey: The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison, Ideology, Class, and Criminal Justice, New York, Macmillan. Ollman, Bertell. 2001. How To Take an Exam... And Remake the World. New York: Black Rose Books. ISBN: 1­55164­182­8. How to ace tests and understand our social system. 2) Contexts ◊ Covert Action Quarterly ◊ Extra!: The Magazine of FAIR ◊ Global Outlook ◊ Harper’s ◊ Monthly Review ◊ The Nation ◊ Yes!: A Journal of Positive Futures ◊ Z Magazine. 3) Common Dreams News Service: http://www.commondreams.org. Under “periodically,” click on: Alternet, Covert Action, Extra!, MediaChannel.org, PR Watch, Stay Free!, tompaine.com, Yes! Magazine, Z Magazine. Under “television,” click on Paper Tiger TV. Under “tools,” click on “Links to America's Progressive Community.” Paul’s Justice Page: http://paulsjusticepage.com/. This page is for people who want to deepen their understanding of crime policies and search for real solutions to criminal justice problems. Criminology Megasite: http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/criminology.htm. Covers theory/research.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 50 Florida State University Criminal Justice Links: http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/cjlinks/default.htm. Red Feather Institute: http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/RED_FEATHER/ Required Course Work and Grading Put on the first page of all writing your name, date, course name and section, and name of the assignment (“paper proposal,” “in­class paper on …,” “final term paper,” etc) or put the subject if it is a note to me. Course requirements are: 1. Class attendance and participation (30%), including doing the scheduled reading and any additional handouts BEFORE each class, joining in­class discussions, occasional in­class writing, and giving brief presentations. You are responsible for assignments and class content you may miss. (Get contact info from a couple of students.) In­class work includes the following two things. a. For each week’s first class meeting, be ready to write a question or comment about something specific in the reading. This may be exchanged with another student so they can respond to you. These would then be handed in at the end of that class meeting. b. During many class meetings, you will get into small groups to discuss and answer a question together. You will support your answer(s) with examples from your experience or from a reading. Each time you do this, there will be a new “recorder” who will report the group’s answer(s) to the whole class. Another person will be the “checker,” whose job is to make sure that everyone contributes. If there is group disagreement the recorder will report the differing views. 2. Three closed­book tests (45% (15% each)). Test question formats may include multiple choice, true/false, fill­in­the­blank. I will hand out 3x5 inch index cards ­ for each test you may use one card to bring in notes. The tests will be about the key concepts in texts, lectures, handouts, and videos. Makeups are available in case of documented emergencies or illness. 3. A five­page typed (double­spaced) term paper (25%). Your paper should be an examination of a social topic or issue that interests you. What have you learned about it from the course reading and other sources, and what do you think? Your paper should include at least two sociological concepts that helped you and at least three pieces of evidence. Your paper must cite at least three references, listed right after the last paragraph, two of them found through the CommonDreams.org website or a library source. Papers must be stapled, with no covers or title pages. Your paper will go through the following steps: a. You will hand in a one­sentence thesis statement proposal, either an argument or a “how” or “why” question. An argument would be a claim about how one social fact affects another. For example: “elites and authorities try to control us by socializing us to be robots, through cultural messages produced by family, school, and the media.” Or: “Multinational corporations play a key role in neocolonialism, keeping wealth flowing to tiny elites, and keeping workers in both rich and poor countries underpaid.” A “how” question might be: “How does religion provide a social glue that keeps people together?” A “why” question might be: “Why do bureaucracies so often seem inefficient?”
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 51 b. You will bring in an initial draft of about two pages to be exchanged with another student during class. You will read and write comments on theirs, and use their comments to revise your paper. I will collect these to return to you with my suggestions. A good way to do make suggestions is to say “you might also look at…”, rather than “your mistake is…”. Ask yourself if the writer… i) Uses simple direct sentences? ii) Keeps to the same topic? Ever changes topics without warning? iii) Is clear when she/he is describing something versus telling you his/her opinion? iv) Uses active sentences (e.g., “the organization made people go along”) rather than passive ones (e.g., people were made to go along by the organization”). v) Leaves out anything you think might be important? c. You will hand the completed term paper in to me. Students may get extra credit through additional assignments only if all regular work is completed. Policy On Cheating And Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty This is a partial quote from the policy in statement the Undergraduate Programs Catalog: “Penalties may include failure for a given assignment or failure in the course, in which case a report shall be submitted to the appropriate academic dean. In the case of a second instance, students may be suspended from the College. In any allegation of intellectual dishonesty, every effort will be made to insure justice; in all cases, educational assistance, rather than adversary proceedings, will be sought.” Class Schedule, Reading Assignments, and Key Questions Reading assignments for each class include the book chapters and selections below and some additional handouts to be announced. You must bring all course readings to every class. For each week, I have listed below five inquiries about the main topics we will cover. Use these questions as a study guide – this is the core of what you will need to know. Week of Mon 8/29/2005 Overview of Criminology B&K Ch. 1 1) What are the three main concerns of criminology? Distinguish between the due process and crime control models of criminal justice and explain why the latter dominates current US crime policy. 2) Compare and contrast at least three of the main ways criminologists define crime. 3) What values might influence someone’s view of crime? Discuss how ideology influences views about crime and the relationship between criminologists’ ideology and their preference for certain theoretical perspectives. 4) How do you get your crime information and how much have you trusted it before taking this course? How accurate is the image of crime portrayed in newspapers and on TV and movie screens, and why? 5) What are examples of the fact that laws usually do not reflect the interests of the majority? What should we do about this?
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 52 Week of Mon 9/5/2005 Crime Data and Methodology B&K Ch. 2 1) Compare and contrast ethnography and survey research. What does one do that the other cannot? Which would you prefer to do if you were studying crime? 2) Distinguish between the Uniform Crime Reports, the National Crime Victimization Survey, and self report measures of crime. 3) Explain why victims do not report crimes to the police, and the effect that overpolicing and underpolicing have on crime rates. Would you report any serious crime you were involved in to the police? 4) Describe and the importance of research ethics, validity, reliability, and the specification of variables in criminological research. 5) Distinguish between the major forms of criminological research, including survey, ethnographic, case study, historical/comparative, experiments, and content analysis. Week of Mon 9/12/2005 Violent Crime B&K Ch. 3 1) How do how race, class, and gender influence homicide offending and victimization? 2) What has been the historical context of violence in U.S. society? Why do you think the US is violent? 3) What are the roles of guns and alcohol as they relate to violent offending and victimization? 4) How can violence be understood as a situated transaction? Does this view make sense to you? 5) Who is most likely to be victimized by violent crime and why? Week of Mon 9/19/2005 erm paper proposal due. Violence Against Women and Children B&K Ch. 4, “The 10 Worst 1) What is the nature, extent, and distribution of domestic violence and rape, and under what situations are these crimes likely to occur? Does this information make you feel safer or less safe? 2) What are some rape myths and how they are sustained in U.S. society? What should we do to counter these myths? 3) What evidence in the Mokhiber and Weissman article is there of crimes that harm women or children? 4) What are the changing reactions to domestic violence in society and in the criminal justice system? What are the difficulties still involved in learning about sexual assault and crimes against children? 5) What are the varieties of child maltreatment, the offenders and victims, and under what conditions children are likely to be victimized? What should we do about this problem? Week of Mon 9/26/2005 Nonviolent Theft B&K Ch. 5 1) What has been the historical development of the laws of theft?
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 53 2) What are the motivations behind shoplifting, auto theft, and burglary, and what reactions do they solicit? Have you known anyone who shoplifted and how do you feel about it? 3) How do we distinguish hackers from computer criminals, and how do their crimes differ from common property offenders? 4) What are the varieties of property crime and under what conditions do they occur? Has anyone you know been a victim of property crime? Why do you think it happened? 5) Distinguish professional from amateur theft. How and why do offenders age out of crime? Week of Mon 10/3/2005 White Collar Crime Criminal,”
by Mokhiber and Weissman Test #1 B&K Ch. 6, “10 Ways to Save a Corporate 1) List the various types of white‑collar crime and give examples. How might white‑collar crime have affected you? 2) Define state crime and provide three examples. What can we do about this kind of crime? 3) Describe the financial, social, cultural, and physical damage caused by white‑collar crime. What are examples of the impact on consumers and on workers? How does white‑collar crime damage compare to street crime damage? 4) Define state‑corporate crime and give three examples. In what sense does the information in Mokhiber and Weissman’s article exemplify state‑corporate crime? What do you think about the article’s view of its topic? 5) Give examples that distinguish between 1) corporate theft and fraud and 2) corporate violence. What should be done about these kinds of crimes? Week of Mon 10/10/2005 Lee Organized Crime B&K Ch. 7 “CIA's Tricks are for Kids” by 1) What evidence is there is show that organized crime is composed of a tightly‑knit national syndicate of crime groups? What is the critique of this position from the revisionist point of view? Describe the code of organized crime and its importance to the survival of criminal networks. 2) Describe how the growth of organized crime is related to poverty, immigration, Prohibition, and the quest for respectability. 3) Identify the money‑making enterprises of organized crime groups, such as loan‑ sharking, drug trafficking, and gambling. 4) How well do organized crime movies, like “Goodfellas,” portray features of organized crime? Do you feel that organized crime movies have anti‑Italian stereotyping or other biases?
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 54 5) Why is Lee, author of “CIAʹs Tricks are for Kids,” skeptical about the CIA’s anti‑drug rhetoric? What evidence does he offer that the CIA anti‑drug publicity is dishonest? Week of Mon 10/17/2005 Public Order Crime B&K Ch. 8 Start of term paper due. 1) Describe the organization of prostitution and why women enter into the activity. What would you do if someone you knew was involved in prostitution? 2) Understand the relationship between pornography and violence. 3) Distinguish the physical properties and the effects of various drugs on human behavior. 4) What is the connection between drug addiction and crime, especially prostitution and theft? What do most people think is the connection and why? 5) Describe the various ways the criminal justice system responds to drug use and drug dealing, and the research findings on the effectiveness of those strategies. Week of Mon 10/24/2005 Criminology and Criminal Justice B&K Ch. 9 1) Identify the main components and actors in the criminal justice system. 2) How do race, gender, and class influence sentencing, arrest, and the decision to charge? How does impact the fairness of the system? 3) Describe the process of criminal justice from investigation to imprisonment. What are the key discretionary stages? 4) How can punishment prevent crime? What does the research say about its effectiveness? 5) Identify the various types of police corruption. In your view, which are the most serious and why? Week of Mon 10/31/2005 Criminological Theory B&K Ch. 10 First draft paper due. 1) What are the uses and functions of theory? 2) Distinguish between restricted and general theories, micro and macro theories, distant and proximal causes, and the positivist and social constructionist paradigms. 3) How does ideology influence theory? Describe the differences between conservative, liberal, and radical/critical criminology. Which theoretical view is the most useful and why? 4) What are the philosophical and scientific foundations of criminology as found in the work of Becarria, Bentham, and Lombroso? 5) What is the impact of sociology on criminological theory, and how does the work of the classical sociological theorists (Marx, Weber, and Durkheim) contribute to the understanding of crime? Week of Mon 11/7/2005 #2 Crime and Social Structure B&K Ch. 11 Test 1) Explain Durkheimʹs impact on the development of social disorganization theory and Mertonʹs anomie theory.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 55 2) How do crime and law relate to inequality? Why is the inequality problem continuing even though U.S. culture seems to advocate equality? 3) What is the difference between social process and social structure theories of crime? 4) Describe the development of Marxist criminological theory in the United States, with particular attention to the differences between instrumental and structural explanations. 5) Describe feminist criminological theory and research, its main concerns, and how it differs from traditional theories of crime. Week of Mon 11/14/2005 Crime and Social Process B&K Ch. 12 1) Explain the value of social process theories in the explanation of crime. 2) Describe differential association and allied theories, especially as they pertain to the effects of peer associations on criminal beliefs and behavior. 3) How does self‑concept relates to criminal offending, and how and why are techniques of neutralization used? How have you seen self‑concept affecting whether or not people engage in deviant or criminal acts? 4) Describe life‑course theory and other integrated theories of crime that unite structure and process. 5) Using the vocabulary of the labeling perspective, describe how primary deviance can lead to secondary deviance. Week of Mon 11/21/2005 Routine Activities and Opportunity Theories B&K Ch. 13 1) Describe the theoretical and practical relationship between rationality and criminal decision‑ making. Are criminals rational? Cite research evidence from studies on burglars to support your view. 2) Describe the routine activities approach and situational crime prevention, and how they are put into practice in the real world. 3) How do changes in the activities of people over time correlates with changes in the amount and type of crime? 4) What is situational crime prevention? Provide a scenario that illustrates the successful implementation of the techniques involved in the approach. Do you think this is an effective approach? 5) Explain routine activities theory. Week of Mon 11/28/2005 General Theories of Crime B&K Ch. 14, “The Rich Get
Richer,” by Reiman 1) How does Reiman’s view of crime and criminal justice differ from the prevailing view? What differences are there in emphasis, in explaining crime, and in implied solutions to the crime problem? 2) Which theory do you think best explains the broadest range of crime and which is the most helpful in understanding changes in crime over time and space?
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 56 3) What sorts of social and criminal justice policies are implied by Braithwaiteʹs reintegrative shaming theory? What kinds of social and cultural changes would need to be made in the US to get us closer to the restorative justice model? 4) What does Reiman mean by the Pyrrhic defeat of crime, and who does he say this benefits? 5) Explain how Katz refers to the emotional process in the construction of crime. Week of Mon 12/5/2005
Crime in Context
“How the World Can Help Americans
Halt Bush Administration War Crimes” by Brecher & Smith
Term paper due. 1) What does the article by Brecher and Smith explain about the World Tribunal on Iraq and its actions? How did it fit with the history of war crimes tribunals? What do you think of such tribunals? 2) How might we use criminology theory to understand the Iraq war? Which theoretical perspective might be best to understand the US involvement in Iraq? 3) In the article by Brecher and Smith What, what is the New “Law and Order” Movement, and what has it had to do with the Abu Ghraib torture? 4) Drawing on the data in Brecher and Smith’s article, how might the idea of the social construction of crime help explain the difference between American public opinion and the US government on foreign policy? 5) Name a few things you have learned in this course and how, it at all, you have changed your mind about crime and criminal justice. 6) Week of Mon 12/12/2005 Final Exams ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Test #3
Page 57 Upper Iowa University Online Program Course Syllabus ***Please Print*** Course Number CJ 333 Criminology, (3 credits) and Name Term 1 August 30, 2007 – October 24, 2007. Location Upper Iowa University–Online Program Instructor Information Marian E. Mosser Voice mail: 239­503­4149 (cell) Email: [email protected] You are welcome to reach me at the above number; however, email is the best way to contact me. Please call the UIU Support Staff at 800.545.9334. Technical Support Words of Welcome Welcome to “Criminology.” I look forward to getting to know each of you. My goal is to foster a healthy learning environment in the classroom. One of the primary objectives of this course is to help you understand the various forms of crime, criminal behavior, and various elements of the criminal justice system. Please read this syllabus carefully as it lays the groundwork for the course. Be sure to note the nature of the assignments and their due dates. If something is not clear, please feel free to email me with your questions or to request clarification.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 58 Course Description CJ 333 Criminology (3 credits). An analysis of various forms of crime as well as various elements of the criminal justice system. The emphasis is on theories of crime and juvenile delinquency. Topics will include: street crime, organized crime, white­collar crime and the role of substance abuse in criminality and delinquency. Prerequisite: SOC 110. Same as SOC 333. Course Objectives 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the nature and extent of crime and the theoretical approaches to the causes and prevention of crime and juvenile delinquency. 2. Differentiate between the various forms of crime in society. 3. Trace the social and political processes that have impacted philosophies and policies effecting crime and how the public views crime. 4. Analyze the criminal justice system, from the arrest of a criminal, through the court system and into the corrections system. At the end of the syllabus you will further see course objectives tied to course outcomes. Required Texts Siegel, L. (2006). Criminology (9 th ed.). Thomson Learning. ISBN 0­534­64577­1 Additional Books and Materials American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN 1­55798­791­2 Attendance Attendance is not the same as participation. In order to meet the criteria for attendance learners must post to the Main newsgroup at least once each week. If a learner misses two consecutive weeks from posting in the Main newsgroup, the learner will be Administratively Withdrawn and there could be financial implications. Participation Learners are expected to actively participate in and contribute to their own learning experience. Participation means providing substantive comments, questions, and contributions that advance the learning process for that learner as well as the other learners in the course. Participation does NOT include the posting of your discussion question responses, the weekly summary, or the submission of any graded assignments to the instructor. Non­substantive comments, non­germane comments, and comments of the nature of "I agree" or I disagree" do not count towards meeting the participation requirement. Participation is part of your final grade. UIU requires all learners to participate
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 59 5 days of each 7­day academic week to earn full participation points. Remember that you must submit a minimum of one (1) quality posting per log on day in addition to the posting of discussion question responses. Reading and Assignments Please see the Weekly Course Schedule at the end of this syllabus for an overview of the required readings and course assignments. Detailed information on all assignments is included in this section of the syllabus. Information on grading and points for graded assignments, group work, and participation is set forth in the section on Grading Criteria below. The course is designed to help you see how criminological theory has been translated into prevention programs. Learning about criminology requires extensive reading on the subject as well as researching various types of criminal behaviors. We will begin the course by defining crime and criminology then exploring how criminologists view crime. The graded assignments are designed to develop and strengthen the types of critical thinking and writing skills that are crucial to the study of criminology. Consistent with UIUs policy on “writing across the curriculum,” all assignments will be graded based on critical analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of the materials as well as spelling, grammar, word choice, and other indicators of quality writing. The weight given to writing skills for each assignment is listed in the section on Grading Criteria. Lastly, please remember that all assignments must be in APA format and achieve the applicable Writing Standards set forth below. Individual Assignments Ø Autobiography Please post a short “bio” to the designated thread in the Chatroom newsgroup so that we may get to know each other. Your "bio" should include professional and/or personal details you would like to share, why you are in the program, and what you hope to gain from this course. Please read and respond to the bios of your fellow learners. Ø Discussion Questions and Participation You are required to prepare a response to two discussion questions (DQs) each week. Your response or “posting” should be about 200 words and should draw on the weekly assigned readings and my lecture notes. The questions are designed to help you think through the key concepts of the course develop your analytical as well as your critical thinking skills and to learn from each other. Your responses to the discussion questions do NOT count toward the participation requirements. Note that the DQ responses are due Day 3 and Day 5 of each online week. To earn maximum points, DQ postings must: § § § § § Respond directly to the discussion question Clearly and concisely synthesize relevant concepts and theories Demonstrate critical thinking skills, e.g., logical analysis Make linkages between theory, practice, and contemporary events as applicable Cite at least two of the assigned readings for that week and include the references at the end of your posting § Achieve the applicable Writing Standards (see below)
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 60 In addition to posting responses to the required discussion questions, each learner must also respond to the DQ postings of the other learners. To earn maximum participation points, a learner must post substantive responses five of the seven days of each online week. Remember that the goal is to develop a learner led discussion on the weekly topic. To earn participation points, your postings must: § Not repeat your DQ posting § Go well beyond merely agreeing or disagreeing with other learners by providing clear, concise, reasoned, and supported commentary that is directly relevant to the substance of their ideas and advances the discussion § Be 75­100 words in length and cite any references used § Meet the applicable Writing Standards (see below) Ø Weekly Reflective Summaries Each week you are required to submit a weekly reflective summary of what you have learned during that week. The summary must be in paragraph format and should be approximately 150 words. Post the summary in the designated thread in the Main newsgroup. Please be sure to read and respond to the summaries posted by your fellow learners. Evaluative criteria are located in the section on Grading Criteria. Each summary should focus on three primary areas. Please use the following headings to organize your summary: § Summary of Learning. This includes the major areas of content found in the lectures and reading materials for the week. § Personal Learning. This should cover items that have personally impacted your thinking and practice. § Application to Career and Professional Goals. This should include information pertinent to your current and future career. Note that the summary should: § Not be a repeat of your discussion question posting § Remind you of the key ideas discussed in class § Meet the applicable Writing Standards (see below) Ø Exams Two multiple choice exams will be given. Exams are open book; however, each student is required to do their own work. The first will cover key concepts from the assigned readings for Weeks 1­4; the second exam will cover key concepts from the assigned readings for Weeks 5­8. The exams will be posted to the Course Materials newsgroup on Day 1 of Week 5 and Day 1 of Week 8. Ø Individual and Group Exercises. There are a total of six exercises that must be completed for this course. Four of the exercises are to be completed by individual students and two of the exercises will be completed by the study groups. Each of the exercises will be posted in the Course Materials newsgroup. Upon completion, the individual exercises will be posted to the Assignments newsgroups. The group exercises will be posted to a designated thread in the Assignments Classroom in accord with the Weekly Course Schedule. Students must participate in the Study Group classroom to work on the group paper. If a student fails to turn in two individual written
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 61 assignments or fails to participate in both of the group papers, the instructor has the option to fail the student for the entire course. Each of the exercises is designed to cover substantive areas of criminology: § § § § § § Week 2, Exercise 1: Victims of Crime and Choice Theories [Individual] Week 3, Exercise 2: Trait and Social Structure Theories [Individual] Week 4, Exercise 3: Social Process, Social Conflict [Individual] Week 5, Exercise 4: Theory: Profiling [Group] Week 6, Exercise 5: Crime Typologies [Individual] Week 7, Exercise 6: The Criminal Justice System [Group] Missed Assignments and Exams Assignments and exams are due by midnight (your time zone) on the due days listed in the Weekly Course Schedule. Assignments and exams will Not be accepted after the due date unless there is an emergency that the student did not foresee. In such cases only the instructor will make the decision to accept or not accept late work of the student. This is done in fairness to those students who turn in their materials on time. There is, however, a “drop­dead” date for submission of all assignments. I will not accept any course work after Day 7 (Wednesday) of Week 8. I do not generally award a grade of Incomplete. However, I will consider any request in the context of specific circumstances. A request for a grade of Incomplete must be made prior to the last day of the course and must include the complete reasons that an Incomplete is being requested. If I believe that the circumstances do not warrant a grade of Incomplete, I will not approve the request. Should I agree to a request for an Incomplete, the student must provide a list of assignments to be completed and suggested due dates for each assignment. Please note that missed participation cannot be made up as part of an Incomplete. Also, there is no extra credit for any assignment. NOTE: Please consider computer and server downtime. If you are unable to logon to the UIU server on the day that a graded assignment is due, you are still responsible for submitting the assignment in order to avoid late penalties. Further, you are responsible for making arrangements with your study group members to accommodate and compensate for your absence. In the event of an emergency, please contact me. Weekly Feedback In addition to our interaction in online you will receive an email from me on your weekly progress no later than Sunday following the end of the academic week or when I return graded assignments. You are encouraged to contact me with any questions or concerns. Grading Criteria The following tables provide an overview of the assignments, their weighting, and due dates. Please note that participation (as discussed earlier) is part of your final grade. Final course grades are based on participation and completion of the assignments listed below. Week Due Assignments and Participation ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Pts
Page 62 Date Individual (56%) Wks Day 7 Weekly Reflective Summaries [1 pt each] 8 Wks Days 3, Discussion Question Postings [2 pts each week] 1­8 5 Wk 2 Day 4 Exercise 1: Victims and Choice Theories of crime (Ch 3 ­ 4) 3 Wk 3 Day 4 Exercise 2: Trait and social structure theories (Ch 5 ­ 6) 3 Wk 4 Day 4 Exercise 3: Social process, Social conflict theories (Ch 7 ­ 8) 3 Wk 5 Day 7 Multiple choice exam [open book; material for Wks 1­4] Wk 6 Day 4 Exercise 5: Crime Typologies (Ch 10­11­12) Wk 8 Day 7 Multiple choice Exam [open book; material for Wks 5­8] 10 Group Project#1: Exercise 4: Theory: profiling of serial killers or 10 1­8 16 10 3 Group (20%) Wk 5 Day 7 terrorists Wk 7 Day 7 Group Project#2: Exercise 6: The Criminal Justice System (Ch 10 14 & 15). Participation (24%) Wks 5 of 7 1­8 days Participation [3 pts each week maximum] Total Points 24 100 The grade of a learner for each course is based solely on the achievement of the learner as defined and determined by the individual faculty member. The following grades area awarded for undergraduate courses: A, B, C, D, F, I, W, and AW. Upper Iowa University does not use plus or minus grades. Grades reflect the following standards:
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 63 A­Work at this level is exemplary. An "A" learner is clearly superior in performance compared to typical undergraduate learners. B­In the undergraduate program, a "B" learner exceeds minimum expectations. C­At the undergraduate level, this work is that typically expected and is satisfactory. D­Work that is barely acceptable as undergraduate­level work. F­Work that is unsatisfactory. An "F" learner, on balance, does not meet minimum course requirements. The grading scale used in this course is illustrated in the table below Grade Weighting Pts A 90­100 90­100 B 80­89 80­89 C 70­79 70­79 D 60­69 60­69 F < 59.9 <60 Writing Standards Proper American Standard English is required for all assignments. Correct grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling are also mandatory. Please note that UIU requires the use of the APA publication manual for all assignments (5 th ed.). Please review the following material for further direction in this area: § American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. § Tips on electronic reference formats recommended by the American Psychological Association can be viewed at http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html § Government documents are more difficult to cite than books and journal articles. Be sure to visit and bookmark the following website http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/usgd/citation.html Spelling, grammar, and word choice are all indicators of quality writing. Please use proper citation and attribution of source material in all written assignments. You must also give proper credit to sources used in posted messages in any of the newsgroups. Be sure to use
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 64 proper APA format for citing any source in the text of your message and include a reference section at the end of your posting. Academic Honesty Learners enrolling at Upper Iowa University assume the responsibility of conducting themselves in a manner compatible with the University's function as an educational institution. Misconduct for which learners are subject to discipline may be divided into the following categories: 1. Dishonesty, cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University. 2. Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or other University activities or of other authorized activities on University premises. 3. Theft or damage to University property or that of others. Cheating and Plagiarism The terms cheating and plagiarism refer to the use of unauthorized books, notes, or other sources in the giving or securing of help in an examination; and to the unauthorized copying of examinations, reports, assignments, or papers; and to the presentation of another's published or unpublished work as one's own. Because cheating and plagiarism are an affront to the University community as a whole and a denial of the offender's own integrity, they will not be tolerated. Detected cheating or plagiarism will result in consequences that may, at the instructor's discretion, include course failure. Also, an offender will be reported to the Dean of the Extended University or designee for possible further disciplinary action. Any type of academic dishonestly brings with it some type of penalty. The penalties can range from failing the assignment to being expelled from the University. The outcome of any significant instance of plagiarism or any other form of academic dishonesty for this course will earn a grade of F and will be reported to the Dean of the Extended University or designee for possible further disciplinary action. If you are unsure what plagiarism actually “looks like” or means, please consult as many sources as you need to in order to resolve this dilemma. I would also suggest reading the relevant pages in The Little, Brown Compact Handbook. Here are a few sources to get you started: § § § § http://www.plagiarism.org/articles.html http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html http://www.andromeda.rutgers.edu/~ehrlich/plagiarism598.html http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml Copyright Protection In recognition of the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code), Upper Iowa University reminds learners that a willful infringement of the law may result in disciplinary action. The University library has available materials discussing the "fair use"
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 65 concept, along with criteria and guidelines for reproduction and use of copyrighted materials. Use of the UIU Library All UIU Online students can access materials at the UIU library from any Internet connected computer. Access to the InfoTrac databases is available through the UIU Library: For access to the UIU Online Library, please do the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Go to http://www.uiu.edu Click on "Current students". On the Left hand side, click on "Library" Click on "InfoTrac Remote Access" A logon box will come up asking for the username and password. The Username is uiu (lowercase) and the Password is “fayette07” (case sensitive). The Password changes periodically. Please contact the program office for the new password. You may also contact the UIU Library at [email protected] or (563) 425­5270. (both are all lower case) Weekly Course Schedule Class Procedures Students should post all DQs and summaries to the designated threads in the Main newsgroup. On the day before each online week begins, I will post my lecture notes in the Course Materials newsgroup. Any variations in class assignments will be posted as an Announcement in this newsgroup as well. As noted earlier, please use the Main newsgroup for all class discussion. Study Group formation will take place during Week 1. The Study Group newsgroups must be used for all study group discussions and work. Feel free to use the Chatroom newsgroup for your informal discussions. Note: The discussion questions are included in the weekly lecture notes. Week 1 Topic: Introduction to Criminology, Criminal Law and the Nature of Crime Reading § Lecture Notes § Siegel: Chapters 1 & 2 Assignments 1.1 Post Biography to Chatroom newsgroup
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 66 1.2 Response to Discussion Questions in the thread 1.3 Post Reflective Learning Summary to the thread 1.4 Group Formation Memo to the Instructor Main Classroom § § § Week 2 Topic: Victims of Crime and Choice Theories Reading § Lecture Notes § Siegel: Chapter 3 & 4 Assignments Read the bios of your fellow learners and introduce yourself. Respond to the discussion questions and reflective summaries of your peers. Participate 5 of 7 days. 2.1 Discussion Questions to threads 2.2 Reflective Learning Summary to thread 2.3 Post Exercise 1 to the Assignments newsgroup (Day 4) Main Classroom § § Week 3 Topic: Trait and Social Structure Theories Reading § Lecture Notes § Siegel: Chapter 5 & 6 Assignments Respond to the discussion questions and reflective summaries of your peers. Participate 5 of 7 days. 3.1 Discussion Questions to threads 3.2 Reflective Learning Summary to thread 3.3 Post Exercise 2 to the Assignments newsgroup Main Classroom § Respond to the discussion questions and reflective summaries of your peers. § Participate 5 of 7 days. Week 4 Topic: Social Process, Social Conflict Reading § Lecture Notes § Siegel: Chapters 7 & 8
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 67 Assignments 4.1 Discussion Questions to threads 4.2 Reflective Learning Summary to thread 4.3 Post Exercise 3 to the Assignments newsgroup Main Classroom § Respond to the discussion questions and reflective summaries of your peers. § Participate 5 of 7 days. Week 5 Topic: Developmental Theories Reading § Lecture Notes § Siegel: Chapter 9 Assignments 5.1 Discussion Questions to threads 5.2 Reflective Learning Summary to thread 5.3 Post Exam to Assignments newsgroup (Day 7) 5.4 Post Group References to Assignments folder (Day 1) 5.5 Post Group Exercise 4 to the thread in the Assignments Newsgroup (Day 7) newsgroup Main Classroom § Respond to the discussion questions and reflective summaries of your peers. § Participate 5 of 7 days. Week 6 Topic: Crime Typologies: Violent Crime, Property Crime, and Enterprise Crime Reading § Lecture Notes § Siegel: Chapter 10, 11, 12 Assignments 6.1 Discussion Questions to threads 6.2 Reflective Learning Summary to thread 6.3 Post Exercise 5 to the Assignments newsgroup Main Classroom Week 7 § Respond to the discussion questions and reflective summaries of your peers. § Participate 5 of 7 days. Topic: The Criminal Justice System
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 68 Reading Assignments § Lecture Notes § Siegel: Chapters 14 & 15 7.1 Discussion Questions to threads 7.2 Reflective Learning Summary to thread 7.3 Post Group References for Exercise 6 to Assignments newsgroup (Day 1) 7.4 Post Group Exercise 6 to the thread in the Assignments newsgroup Main Classroom § Respond to the discussion questions, reflective summaries, and your peers' exercise. § Participate 5 of 7 days. Week 8 Topic: The Criminal Justice System Reading § Lecture Notes § Siegel: Chapter 16 & 17 Assignments 8.1 Discussion Questions to threads 8.2 Reflective Learning Summary to thread 8.3 Post your Exam to the Assignments newsgroup Main Classroom § Respond to the discussion questions, reflective summaries, and critique your peers' exercise and group paper. § Participate 5 of 7 days.
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Do Not Throw This Document Away THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY The University of Texas at Austin Spring 2008 SYLLABUS COURSE: Criminology INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Warr OFFICE: 324 Burdine Hall PHONE: 232­6317 (voice mail available) OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays 3:30­4:30 (Please note: I do not read or respond to e­mail.) Course Description: This course is designed to give you a broad understanding of the field of criminology. Most of the course will entail a close examination of forms of criminal behavior, especially forms of violent crime and property crime. The last portion of the course concentrates on the U.S. criminal justice system. Required Reading Joseph Sheley, Criminology: A Contemporary Handbook. 3rd Edition. New York: Wadsworth, 2000. Assignments: Chaps. 1, 3, 4 (Test 1); Chaps. 9, 13, 14 (Test 2); Chaps. 15, 16, 23 (Test 3). Mark Warr, Companions in Crime. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Assignments: Chaps. 1­3 (Test 2); Chaps. 4­6 (Test 3). Lecture Topics The following general areas will be covered in lectures. I have not assigned dates to these topics because the amount of time we will spend on each topic depends in part on factors that I cannot anticipate (e.g., class interest and ability). TOPICS: Introduction to criminology The measurement of crime Types and classes of criminal behavior The U.S. criminal justice system The material in my lectures does not overlap with the readings. If you do not attend my lectures, there is no other place to go for help (believe me, you can't learn this material well from your
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 71 friends' notes). So it is important to come to class, listen carefully, and take good notes. Study hints: Study with other people in the class, and retype or rewrite your notes after each lecture. It helps! Exams and Grading There will be three exams during the course, each about 4­5 weeks apart (see reverse for dates). There is no final examination. Each of the three exams is worth 100 possible points. In addition, there will be occasional pop quizzes worth a total of 20 points. There are, then, 320 possible points for the course. Final grades are assigned according to the following scale: 288 (90%) ­ A 256 (80%) ­ B 224 (70%) ­ C 192 (60%) ­ D Below 192 ­ F (automatic admission to Texas A&M) The tests are a mixture of multiple­choice questions and fill­in or short­answer questions. The latter questions require answers that are exactly correct (complete, accurate, and spelled correctly) to receive any credit. The exams are scheduled for 1) February 14; 2) March 20; and 3) April 29. I am happy to make appropriate academic accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Course Rules. If you take this class, you are agreeing to know and follow these rules: 1) Make­up exams are available only under two conditions: 1) you must have a valid excuse (this almost always means a medical excuse); and 2) you must receive my permission to miss the test prior to the test. It is your responsibility to provide written verification of your excuse to me; if I do not receive it or believe it, you will not receive any credit for the exam. All make­up exams are essay exams, and all make­up exams will be given on the last day of class during the class period. Because the pop quizzes are primarily designed to measure attendance, no make­ ups will be given for the quizzes. You may miss one quiz, however, with no penalty. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THESE RULES. 2) Students who arrive late to class inevitably disrupt the class, and I will reduce the grades of students who repeatedly come late. I do not react publicly to students who show up late, and so some students assume that I do not notice them. Others assume that I will not learn their name. Both assumptions are wrong. Take this rule seriously. 3) During the semester, please direct your questions about grades and test scores to the TA, who keeps grade records for this class. Tests 1 and 2 are available for review only until the next test is given, after which they are filed and are no longer available. Test 3 is available until the TA's final office hours. 4) I personally grade the exams, and I do so carefully and conscientiously. Students who insist that I re­examine questions on their test should be aware that their grade may go down as well as up. 5) You must attend the section in which you are registered in order to receive credit for a quiz or test.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 72 6) Please be advised of university regulations concerning scholastic dishonesty. If you are caught cheating on a test/quiz or committing other dishonest acts, I will a) flunk you for the course, and b) turn your case over to the Dean of Students for university action (which includes suspension and expulsion). 7) Do not call me at home for any reason. I can conceive of no problem that urgent, and I will take a dim view of such calls. If you cannot reach me in my office, leave a message at the Sociology office. 8) To earn a grade, you must actually have the points. Being close is not enough. 9) I will not Q­drop students simply because they are doing poorly in my class. Please don't ask. 10) I write letters of recommendation only for students who are applying to graduate school in sociology and who have an A in my course, an overall GPA of at least 3.5 and a GRE score above 1250. Please bring verification of this information along with a short biographical sketch (education, honors and awards, work history, extracurricular activities) and a transcript when you request a letter. I write letters only during the month of November; be sure to contact me before then. 11) Please do not tape record my lectures. If you need me to slow down or repeat, just ask. 12) Many pass/fail students in my course fail. P/F does not mean that you can avoid studying. 13) Students who miss a scheduled appointment with me or my TA will be penalized one letter grade. 14) You must have at least 60 undergraduate hours to be in this course. In addition, the prerequisite for this course is six hours of sociology, meaning that students must have completed six semester hours of sociology with a passing grade before enrolling in the class. Students who have not fulfilled this prerequisite and who remain in the course will receive an F for the course.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 73 THE NATURE OF CRIME Criminal Justice 201 Spring Semester, 2008 Professor Dr. Travis Pratt Office hrs: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm (and by appointment) Phone: 335­4075 Email: [email protected] COURSE OVERVIEW This is a course on the nature of criminal behavior and the major theoretical perspectives that have been developed in an effort to explain why and how individuals break the law. In particular, this course covers (1) issues related to criminal career trajectories (e.g., the relationship between age and crime; offending specialization versus versatility over the life­course; race and gender gaps in offending), (2) the major individual­level (e.g., biosocial variables), situational (e.g., peer influences; formal and informal control mechanisms) and macro­level (e.g., economic deprivation, family disruption) correlates of criminal behavior, and (3) how such correlates are explained by the major individual and ecological criminological theories. REQUIRED READINGS There are two books required for this class and a series of readings available on my CJ website: Cullen, Francis T. and Robert Agnew. 2003. Criminological theory: Past to present. 3 rd edition. Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury. Miller, J. Mitchell, Christopher J. Schreck, and Rickard Tewksbury. 2008. Criminological theory: A brief introduction. 2 nd edition. Boston: Pearson. ATTENDANCE Attendance is not required in this class as an official portion of your overall grade. Given the rather specialized subject matter of the course, however, those who do attend class regularly will be more likely to understand the material and will therefore be in a better position to do well in the class. GRADING Your grade in this class will be based on three essay exams and one “thinking about crime” paper. Exams are to be taken on the day stated in the syllabus. Late and/or make­up exams may only be acceptable under extreme circumstances, such as a medical or personal emergency. I must warn you, however, that I base these decisions on a very narrow definition of extreme. The student must provide me with proper documentation to qualify for a make­up (documentation does not, unfortunately, guarantee that a make­up will be given). Thinking About Crime Paper The “thinking about crime” paper will be a brief (2­3 page) essay where you will discuss your own views on crime causation. In particular, you will be asked to describe (1) your general thoughts on why people break the law, and (2) the events and processes in your life that have shaped these views. In other
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 74 words, I want you to provide an explanation as to why your thoughts on crime causation are the way they are (i.e., why do you feel the way you do about the cause(s) of crime?). Exams Exams will consist of (usually) 2 in­class essay questions. Your essays should be roughly 600 to 900 words per essay. There are a number of things that go into a good essay exam answer. The list contained here is not necessarily exhaustive, yet it should provide you with a set of guidelines for ensuring that your essays are coherent as possible. 1. Make sure you answer the question. I know this seems simple, but there’s always a desire among many students to “redefine” what the question is about, and then go on to answer their own question. Don’t do this. This also means that you need to meaningfully address each component of the question— ignoring parts is never a good idea. 2. Draw upon the relevant information. What this means is that I’m not necessarily concerned with your personal opinion about a question (or a component of the question). My interest, instead, is in your ability to draw upon issues and information raised in class as well as in the readings. A good essay will always demonstrate that you’ve participated in the course discussions and that you’ve done the readings (for example, peppering your essay with specific details from the discussions and the readings always enhances the quality of an essay). 3. Organize the presentation of your answer according to the structure of the question. If, for example, you address the components of a question out of order—even if you’ve done a serviceable job of addressing each point—it is always more difficult to evaluate the quality of such an essay. These questions are structured in this way on purpose; thus, your essay is likely to be more coherent if you follow that structure. 4. There is no “one best way” in terms of the length of an essay. Some people—albeit a rather small minority of students—are capable of “getting to the point” better than others and are therefore able to construct a rather “lean” essay that still hits all of the relevant points. This is fine, and if you’re capable of doing this, then kudos to you. The other side of the coin, however, is the “data dump” essay. This is an essay where you want to tell me everything you’ve ever learned about criminal justice all in one essay— presumably under the hope that I’ll sift through your sea of irrelevant information and “pluck out” what fits with the question. Don’t do this. Instead, stick to the literature/discussion of material related to the question. In the end, you’re better off living on the promise of partial credit than you are with a data dump (which I always grade rather harshly). * The instructor also reserves the authority to give pop quizzes, at random, as extra­credit or as a contribution to your final grade. Overall, your final grade (based on a total of 100) points will be calculated as follows: Thinking About Crime Paper 10 points Exam I 30 points Exam II 30 points Exam III 30 points 100 points
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 75 The following scale will be used for grading: A A­ B+ B B­ C+ C C­ D+ D D­ F = 93­100% = 90­92% = 87­89% = 83­86% = 80­82% = 77­79% = 73­76% = 70­72% = 67­69% = 63­66% = 60­62% = 59% or less COURSE POLICIES 1. Grading disputes: any questions concerning grading in this course are subject to a two­day “cooling off” period. Following the exams, after a minimum of two days to consider their argument, students may approach me with questions regarding their received grades. 2. I observe all University policy with respect to accommodations for disabled students. Accordingly, students registered with disability services should contact me as soon as possible so a schedule can be worked out for you. 3. Class demeanor: students are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner. Any form of racial, ethnic, and/or other demeaning slur or disruption will not be tolerated (even if you think you are joking). Students guilty of such behavior will be excused from class and subject to University sanctions. 4. Cheating: academic dishonesty of any kind with respect to the exams will be considered cheating. Students caught cheating will receive a zero on the exams and will be subject to University sanctions. 5. Talking: some casual conversation is OK, and student input into discussions is invited. If, however, I am giving a lecture, please shut your cake­hole. 6. A final note on make­ups: you now have the course schedule before you. Therefore, any time conflicts you may have should be brought to my attention as soon as possible (e.g., more than two days notice) to make the proper arrangements. And a final little list of “do’s and don’ts” (mostly don’ts) 1. Do the readings. With the empirical articles it isn’t necessary to read everything (the “methods” and “results” sections can generally be skimmed—the front and back ends of the articles will be of most importance), but if you avoid the readings your grade will suffer accordingly. 2. Don’t ask me what you have to do to get an “A.” Read the syllabus—it’s pretty clear (93%; for example, that means if there are 100 things to know in this class, you need to remember 93 of them). 3. Don’t call me at home . . . ever . . . seriously, it’ll just make me mad. I know I’m listed but please don’t make me rethink that. 4. Don’t ask me to email you anything (the syllabus you lost, your grade on an exam, the review sheet you didn’t get because you didn’t show up to class, etc.). Either you get these things in class, during my office hours, from another student, or you find some other way. I’m not your secretary. 5. If you miss class, don’t ask me for my notes. Learning to take notes is part of the college process; it is therefore incumbent upon you to learn your own way through that process. I am, however, more than
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 76 willing to talk to you during my office hours about the readings for which you may have missed the class discussion. 6. Since I do not take attendance—and therefore you’re not required to be in class—your options in class are to either pay attention or sleep. I’ll try to keep you awake, but I should see absolutely no cell phones, no newspapers, no web­surfing, and no text­messaging during class. If you feel the need to do any of these things, stay home—I get paid either way. 7. If you miss class, don’t come up to me later and ask: “did I miss anything important?” Those who say that there is no such thing as a stupid question are wrong; this is a stupid question. Just assume that you did miss something important and that it is now your responsibility to make sure you eventually get the material covered. 8. Take responsibility for your own study habits. Put differently, this is a reading­intensive course, which means that if you slack off, you need to deal with the consequences (bad grade or otherwise). I do not engage in grade negotiation, regardless of whatever hardships you’re convinced you suffered to produce a substandard grade. COURSE SCHEDULE Week 1 T (1/8) Introduction. TH (1/10) Issues in criminological research (unit of analysis; data sources; criteria of causation). Readings: Miller et al. (CH 1) Week 2 T (1/15) Early perspectives I: the classical school of thought. Readings: Miller et al. (CH 2) Cullen and Agnew (CH 1—Beccaria) TH (1/17) Early perspectives II: the positivist school of thought. Readings: Miller et al. (CH 3) Cullen and Agnew (CH 2—Lombroso) * Thinking About Crime paper due in class. Week 3 T (1/22) Rejecting individualism I: anomie/strain theory. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 15—Merton) Miller et al. (CH 7) TH (1/24) Rejecting individualism II: social disorganization theory. Readings: Miller et al. (CH 5, pp. 87­98). Cullen and Agnew (CH 7—Shaw and McKay). Week 4
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 77 T (1/29) Mainstream criminology I: social learning/differential association theory. Readings: Miller et al. (CH 6) Cullen and Agnew (CH 10—Sutherland and Cressey; CH 12— Akers) TH (1/31) Mainstream criminology II: social bond/social control theory. Readings: Miller et al. (CH 8, pp. 151­159). Cullen and Agnew (CH 20—Hirschi). Week 5 T (2/5) TH (2/7) Review for Exam I. Exam I. Week 6 T (2/12) Mainstream criminology III: control theory revisited. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 21—Gottfredson and Hirschi). Miller et al. (CH 8, pp. 160­172). Website: Pratt and Cullen (2000). TH (2/14) Self­control theory continued. Readings: Website: Pratt, Turner, and Piquero (2004). Turner, Piquero, and Pratt (2005). Week 7 T (2/19) Mainstream criminology IV: routine activity theory. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 39—Cohen and Felson) Miller et al. (CH 5, pp. 99­107) TH (2/21) Mainstream criminology V: rational choice revisited. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 37—Stafford and Warr; CH 38—Cornish And Clarke). Week 8 T (2/26) Rational choice theory continued. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 42—Bennett et al.). Website: Pratt et al. (2005). TH (2/28) Positivism revisited I: cognitive ability and crime. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 6—Caspi et al.). Website: McGloin, Pratt, and Maahs (2004). Week 9 T (3/4) Review for Exam II.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 78 TH (3/6) Exam II. Week 10 T (3/11) Spring break—no class! TH (3/13) Spring break—no class! Week 11 T (3/18) Positivism revisited II: biology and crime. Readings: TH (3/20) Website: Unnever, Cullen, and Pratt (2003). Developmental/life­course theories I: neuropsychological deficits and crime. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 44—Moffitt). Website: Pratt, McGloin, and Fearn (2006). Week 12 T (3/25) Developmental/life­course theories II: adult social bonds. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 22—Sampson and Laub; CH 45—Laub and Sampson). TH (3/27) Integrated theories: social support and institutional anomie theories Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 18—Messner and Rosenfeld;CH 49—Cullen). Website: Pratt and Godsey (2003). Week 13 T (4/1) Special topics I: gender and crime. Readings: Cullen and Agnew (CH 32—Adler; CH 33—Chesney­Lind). Miller et al. (pp. 186­189). TH (4/3) Special topics II: crime/victimization overlap. Readings: Website: Holtfreter, Reisig, and Pratt (forthcoming). Week 14 T (4/8) Special topics III: offending specialization/diversity. Readings: TH (4/10) Website: McGloin, Sullivan, Piquero, and Pratt (2007) Criminology and public policy. Readings: Website: Pratt and Cullen (2005). Pratt (forthcoming) Week 15 T (4/15) Review for Exam III. TH (4/17) Exam III. Readings included in the reading list
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 79 Pratt, T.C. and F.T. Cullen. 2000. The empirical status of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory of Crime. Criminology 38:931­964. Pratt, T.C., M.G. Turner, and A.R. Piquero. 2004. Parental Socialization and Community Context: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Structural Sources of Low Self­Control. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 41:219­243. Turner, M.G., A.R. Piquero, and T.C. Pratt. 2005. The School Context as a Source of Self­Control. Journal of Criminal Justice, 33:327­339. Pratt, T.C., F.T. Cullen, K.R. Blevins, L.E. Daigle, and T.D. Madensen. 2005. The Empirical Status of Deterrence Theory: A Meta­Analysis. In Francis T. Cullen, John Paul Wright, and Kristie R. Blevins (Eds.), Taking Stock: The Empirical Status of Criminological Theory—Advances in Criminological Theory. Volume 15. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, Accepted and Forthcoming. McGloin, J.M., T.C. Pratt, and J. Maahs. 2004 . Rethinking the IQ­Delinquency Relationship: A Longitudinal Analysis of Multiple Theoretical Models. Justice Quarterly, 21:601­631. Unnever, J.D., F.T. Cullen, and T.C. Pratt. 2003. Parental Management, ADHD, and Delinquent Involvement: Reassessing Gottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory. Justice Quarterly, 20:471­500. Pratt, T.C., J.M. McGloin, and N.E. Fearn. 2006. Maternal Cigarette Smoking During Pregnancy and Criminal/Deviant Behavior. Unpublished manuscript, Washington State University. Pratt, T.C. and T.W. Godsey. 2003. Social Support, Inequality, and Homicide: A Cross­National Test of an Integrated Theoretical Model. Criminology, 41:101­133. Holtfreter, Kristy, Michael D. Reisig, and Travis C. Pratt. Forthcoming. Routine Activities, Low Self­Control, and Fraud Victimization. Criminology. McGloin, Jean Marie, Christopher Sullivan, Alex R. Piquero, and Travis C. Pratt. 2007. Local Life Circumstances and Offending Specialization/Diversity: Comparing Opportunity and Propensity Models. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 44(3):321­346. Pratt, T.C. and F.T. Cullen. 2005. Assessing Macro­Level Predictors and Theories of Crime: A Meta­Analysis. Pp. 373­450 in Michael Tonry (Ed.), Crime and Justice: A Review of Research. Volume 32. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Pratt, Travis C. Forthcoming. Rational Choice Theory, Crime Control Policy, and Criminological Relevance. Criminology and Public Policy.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 80 Criminology SOCI 320, Section 01 Spring 2007 Instructor: Dr. Susan Smith­Cunnien Office: 443 OEC Phone: 651.962.5637 Email: [email protected] FAX: 651.962.5682 Hours: 1­2 MTR; and by appointment. Course Objectives: Crime is often a “hot” topic in our society, although how hot varies over time and what people get hot about varies as well. This course is designed to provide you with an overview of the field of criminology, but there are some topics that we will be considering in a rather cursory manner and others we will be examining in greater depth. By the end of the semester you should have a good understanding of how crime problems come to be socially defined as such, of the variations in criminal careers and decision­making, and of competing explanations of the behavior of offenders and the levels of crime in society. There are no simple answers here; in fact, one of the primary objectives of the course is to help you see just how complex crime really is! We will be addressing these issues by studying a number of different types of crime, including theft, murder, domestic violence, prostitution, drug use, drug dealing and white collar crime. We will also be examining the popular conception of “criminals” as a distinct breed of person (completely different from “law abiding” folks J). Throughout the semester we will work on improving our abilities to critically evaluate popular and academic analyses of crime. In the criminal justice curriculum this course represents the last “foundational” course before the senior capstone courses (the senior seminar and the internship seminar). Accordingly, this will be a writing­intensive course and there will be more emphasis on higher­level thinking skills (application, synthesis, and analysis). Additionally, we will begin the transition toward having you all take greater responsibility for your own learning.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 81 Required Readings: There are three required texts:
Larry Siegel. Criminology: The Core (Second Edition). 2005 (Abbreviated as “C”)
Paul Cromwell (Editor), In Their Own Words: Criminals on Crime, an Anthology (Fourth Edition). 2006. (ITOW)
· Nathan McCall. Makes Me Wanna Holler. 1994. (MMWH) There will also be occasional handouts and materials posted on BlackBoard that you will need to read. ·
·
Class Schedule: Class time will be a mix of lectures, discussions, class exercises and videos. Your attendance and participation is essential to the success of our class and to your own success in this course! You are expected to complete the assigned reading before the corresponding class meeting. The class schedule below includes class meeting topics, reading assignments, and important quiz and assignment dates. Part I: Defining Society’s Crime Problem Jan. 29 Topic: Introduction to course (and class members): What is crime? Jan. 31 Topic: How does society define a crime problem? How and why do definitions of crime vary over time? Who are criminals? Reading: Chapter 1 in C; Chapter 6; in ITOW (Baskin and Sommers, “Women, Work and Crime”) and handout (Simone de Beauvoir, "The Other") Feb. 2 Topic: How much crime in the U.S.? How do we measure crime? How do criminologists study offenders? Reading: Chapter 2 in C; Chapters 1, 2 or 3 in ITOW (Jacobs, “Researching Crack Dealers;” Wright et al., “A Snowball’s Chance in Hell”) [chapters will be assigned in class] Feb. 5 Topic: Victims, survivors and victimization Reading: Chapter 3 in C Feb. 7 Topic: What are the costs of crime? Reading: Handout Activity: Find County estimates of costs of crime Location: Lab Due: Costs of Crime Project (group)
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 82 Feb. 9 Topic: Routine Activities Theory Feb. 12 Topic: Media and Crime Due: Bring media depiction of crime Feb. 14 Topic: The Big Picture: The State and the Crime Problem Reading: David Garland (available electronically) Activity: Reading Quiz Part II: Criminal Careers and Property Crime Feb. 16 Topic: Criminal careers and desistance Reading: Chapter 4 in C; Chapters 30 and 31 (Shover, “Aging Criminals;” Sommers et al, “Getting Out of the Life”) Feb. 19 Video: One Year in the Life of Crime Reading: Chapter 4 in ITOW (Shover and Honaker, “The Socially Bounded Decision Making of Persistent Property Offenders”) Distribute: Life of Crime Assignment Feb. 21 Video: Life of Crime­2 (part I) Reading: Chapter 11 in C; Chapter 11 in ITOW (Cromwell, et al., “The Five­Finger Discount”) Feb. 23 Video: Life of Crime­2 (part II) Reading: Chapter 9 in ITOW (Wright and Decker, “Deciding to Commit a Burglary”) Feb. 26 Topic: Theoretical wrap­up on criminal lifestyles and decision­making Part III: Explanations of Crime (Continuation from SOCI 310) Feb. 28 Topic: Introduction to crime explanations; MMWH discussion of race and crime Reading: Chapters 1­3 in MMWH; bell hooks (handout) Due: Life of Crime Assignment Mar. 2 Topic: Race and crime Reading: Chapter 8 in C; reading on race and crime (available electronically) Mar. 5 Critical/conflict theories of crime
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 83 Mar. 7 Topic: Country wealth, inequality and crime: International comparisons Mar. 9 Topic: Concentrated poverty and crime: local comparisons Activity: Partners local comparisons project Location: Lab Due: Local comparisons project Mar. 12 Topic: Discussion of local comparisons lab; Discussion of MMWH Reading: Chapters 4­16 in MMWH Distribute: Explanations of crime assignment Mar. 14 Topic: Culture and crime Reading: Elijah Anderson, excerpts from “Code of the Streets” (handout) Mar. 16 Topic: Discussion of MMWH Reading: Chapters 17 – 26 in MMWH Activity: Reading quiz Mar. 19 – 23 Midsemester Break {<NPb‰”¯äõ Mar. 26 Topic: Gender and Crime Reading: Possible reading to be assigned Mar. 28 Topic: Wrap­up discussion of MMWH Reading: Chapters 39 – 44 in MMWH Part IV: Different Types of Crimes and Offenders Mar. 30 Topic: Public order crimes Distribute: Case materials and role assignments for case (see below) Due: Nathan McCall and Explanations of Crime Reading: Chapter 13 in C Apr. 2 Topic: Prostitution Video: Prostitution Reading: Chapter 20 in ITOW (Romenesko and Miller, “The Second Step in Double Jeopardy”)
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 84 Apr. 4 Topic: Prostitution Activity: Enacting city council legalization hearing (will be audiotaped) Reading: Case materials April 6­9 Easter Break Apr. 11 Topic: Drug dealing Reading: Chapters 21 and 28 in ITOW (Adler, “Dealing Careers;” Tunnell, “Inside the Drug Trade ) Activity: Reading quiz Apr. 13 Topic: Drug use Reading: Chapters 26 and 27 in ITOW (Palacios and Fenwick, “’E’ is for Ecstasy;” and Faupel, “The Drugs­Crime Connection among Stable Addicts”) Activity: Reading quiz Apr. 16 Topic: White collar Crime: Corporate crime and occupational crime Reading: Chapter 12 in C Distribute: Corporate crime assignment (partners) Apr. 18 Topic: Occupational Crime Reading: Chapters 16, 17 and 18 in ITOW (Benson, “Denying the Guilty Mind;” Dabney, “Neutralization and Deviance in the Workplace;” Shover, Coffey, and Hobbs, “Crime on the Line”) Apr. 20 Working Session Activity: Corporate crime assignment; Finalize topics Location: Lab Apr. 23 Topic: Organized Crime Reading: Chapter 22 in ITOW (Coontz, “Managing the Action”) Apr. 25 Topic: Violent crime Reading: Chapter 10 in C; Chapter 15 in ITOW (Wright and Decker, “Creating the Illusion of Impending Death”) Apr. 27 Topic: “Normal” murders and serial murders
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 85 Reading: Chapter 13 in ITOW (Kessler et al., “Serial Killers”) Apr. 30 Topic: Sexual assault Reading: Chapter 14 in ITOW (Scully and Marolla, “Convicted Rapists’ Vocabulary of Motive”) May 2 Topic: Domestic abuse Reading: Handouts May 4 Topic: Hate Crime May 7 Organizational Crime Presentations May 9 Organizational Crime Presentations May 11 Organizational Crime Presentations; Course wrap­up Final exam Tuesday May 15 10:30 am ­12:30 pm Exams and Quizzes: There will be only one exam in the course, a final exam that will be “semi”­comprehensive. We will decide as a class whether it will be a take­home or an in­class exam. There are four “reading quizzes” throughout the semester (just to make sure you have done the reading for that day). The dates for these quizzes are on the schedule (they are not “pop” quizzes). I will drop the lowest grade. There will be no make­ups of these quizzes. If you miss one, that will be the grade that is dropped. Assignments: Details on these assignments will be provided in class. The due dates are listed in the class schedule above and point values are listed in the section below on grading. Assignment title Assignment Type Costs of Crime Group (lab) Life of Crime Paper Individual Local Comparison Group (lab) N. McCall Explanations of Crime Paper Individual Prostitution Case Individual (with some collaboration) Corporate Crime Project* Partners *Term Paper possible
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 86 Attendance, missed activities, late assignments: Class attendance is expected. You are responsible for material and assignments covered in all classes, so be sure to contact another student in the class for notes and handouts if you must miss class. As an incentive, students who miss two classes or fewer (including both "excused" and unexcused absences) will receive twenty (20) bonus points towards their final course grade. Excessive absences will adversely affect your course grade. If you miss a class where we are working in the computer lab or doing an in­class exercise, I will have one make­up activity in the last few weeks of the semester (with a maximum of one such make­up per person and this will likely be a collaborative effort). Late assignments will have late points deducted at a rate of 5% for every 24­hours they are late (unless you have a severe illness or death in the immediate family, documented with a doctor’s note or published obituary). If you are going on a University­sponsored trip (e.g. sports or choir trip), you must make arrangements with me in advance. Grading: Grades will be based on 1000 possible points distributed as follows: Quizzes (3 @ 50) 150 Costs of Crime lab 50 Life of Crime Paper 175 Local Comparison lab 50 N. McCall Explanations of Crime Paper 150 Prostitution Case 25 Final exam 150 Corporate Crime Project 250 Letter grades will be assigned using the standard 100%­90­80­70­60 delineations. Pluses (+) and minuses (­) will be given for the upper and lower twenty points in each grade category respectively. There will be no extra credit. Students registered for the class on a pass/fail basis must receive a grade of C­ or better to pass the course.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 87 Spring 2005 Criminology Course # 26702 Section #001 Professor Tim Berard Call # 13797 217 Bowman Hall 12:15­1:30 Tu/Th Section #002 Call # 13798 115 Business Administration Bldg. 1:45­3:00 Tu/Th Required Texts: ~Liska and Messner, Perspectives on Crime and Deviance, 3 rd ed. ~Reamer, Criminal Lessons: Case Studies and Commentary on Crime and Justice ~Other required readings will be available through WebCT and/or in the Justice Studies Department, as announced in class. Professor: Dr. Tim Berard, Ph.D. Office: 113 Bowman Hall (Justice Studies Department), Office H Phone: (330) 672­0322 (see below about communications) e­mail: [email protected] (see below about communications) NOTE: WEBCT E­MAIL IS NOT CHECKED REGULARLY Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30­6:00, and by appointment Prerequisites: JUS 12000 (Introduction to Justice Studies) or permission of instructor. (It is the student’s responsibility to seek permission week of class if prerequisites have not already been satisfied) prior to the second Course Description This course examines principal themes and theories in the field of criminology, traditionally defined by its interest in using the theories and methods of the social sciences to discover the causes of crime, often with a view towards informing criminal justice policies or more generally responding to social problems. Topics to be covered include the history and nature of criminology as an applied social science and critical discourse on crime; crime in relation to criminal law; methodological issues in the understanding of crime; and especially various theories concerning the nature and causes of crime. Students are exposed to analytic, liberal and radical views on crime and crime control, as well as conventional, conservative, and correctional views of crime and criminals as social problems.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 88 Grading A base­line grade will be calculated for each student by adding his/her final scores on the class components listed below. The base­line grade will be the final course grade except where extra credit is awarded (e.g. for excellent participation or for extra credit opportunities) and/or penalties are imposed (e.g. for disruptive behavior or academic misconduct). Penalties may range up to 40 points, i.e. course failure, depending upon the severity of the problem(s), as judged by the course professor. Papers that do not satisfy basic requirements as to formatting or content may not be accepted or graded at all, at the discretion of the course professor. Extra credit opportunities will be few and of little value compared to the required coursework and exams – all the more reason to take the required coursework seriously from the start. Although attendance is not a formal component of grading, attendance does impact grades indirectly. Students are responsible for keeping identical copies of all papers turned in, and all coursework handed back, and for staying informed of their course standing by keeping track of their grades. Space is available below to record one’s grades directly on the syllabus. At any time, a base­line grade can be calculated by dividing the total points earned so far (including extra credit) by the total points possible so far (not including extra credit). Grading information will also be available on WebCT. My scores Mid­Term Exam I 20 pts Mid­Term Exam II 20 pts Mid­Term Exam III 20 pts Final Exam 20 pts Research Assignment(s)20 pts Extra credit Final Grades 90­100 pts./% A 80­89 pts./% B 70­79 pts./% C 60­69 pts./% D 0­59 pts./% F
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 89 Note that the final point total is also the final percentage. The grading is designed this way to enable students to easily understand their grades. Other professors may offer you more points for exams or assignments, and this may seem generous, but it actually doesn’t provide any advantage to you at all, and it makes the grading harder to understand. Final grades are always determined by proportions and percentages; 90 points out of 100 is 90%, so an ‘A.’ 880 points may seem like a lot more, but when divided by 1,000, it results in 88%, or a ‘B,’ so it turns out to be less. Students often complain that the assignments or exams aren’t worth enough points, or that they want an opportunity to earn more points. Well, it is the percentages you need to worry about, and you will all have the opportunity to earn over 100 points, which is over 100%. Attendance Policy, Late Papers, Missed Exams Students are expected to attend class consistently. Students are also expected to come to class on time, stay until the end of class, and to dedicate their time in class to academics. Side conversations are not permitted, nor is reading newspapers, writing papers for other courses, etc. Phones, pagers, etc. should be turned off except by prior arrangement for emergencies. Disruptive behavior may affect final grades. Attendance will not generally be calculated as part of the final grade, except insofar as attendance problems are related to disruptive behavior. However, attendance will have a very significant indirect impact on student grades. Typically, ‘A’ students don’t miss more than two classes per semester, and most students who finish with a ‘D’ or ‘F’ will have their attendance partly to blame, as well as problematic study habits, among other issues. Coming to class assures that you hear lectures and participate in any course activities, receive handouts and hear announcements about test preparation, extra credit opportunities, etc. Examinations will be very difficult without consistent attendance. Late assignments will be marked down or not accepted, unless excused by the course professor. Make­up exams will only be given at the discretion of the course professor. In most cases, late papers and missed exams will only be excused with prior notification (in writing preferably), including any relevant documentation or letter of support (e.g. from a doctor, academic advisor, administrator, etc.). Copies are acceptable, as nothing submitted will be returned. Explanations of late papers or missed exams should be in writing, should be self­explanatory, and should address not only why the original due date or exam time was missed, but also explain any subsequent delay in addressing the issue or inability to turn in the work or sit for a make­up exam. Present all the relevant information and documentation clearly, and all together at one time, as soon as possible. The effectiveness of an excuse depends partly on timing­ prior notification is important; delays may make excuses less credible or less compelling, or otherwise suggest a lack of responsibility for fulfilling course requirements on schedule. Excuses will usually not be accepted if they are not communicated by the end of the second course meeting after the problem, regardless of how good the excuse may be are or how well­documented it may be. Make­up work may be different and/or more difficult than the original assignment or exam. In cases of late papers or missed exams which are unexcused, or are not accounted for in a compelling and timely fashion, make­up work may be offered with late penalties, at the discretion of the course professor. Note that it is the sole prerogative of the course professor to excuse or not excuse late papers and missed exams, to accept or allow late coursework with penalties, or not to accept/allow late work at all.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 90 Summary: Stay on schedule with your written work and exams. If you’re not able to stay on schedule, address the problem with the course professor as soon as possible, with all the information and documentation you would like to be considered. Offering excuses is asking for special treatment, so the last thing you should do is make it unnecessarily difficult or time­consuming for your course professor to understand and decide upon your request for special treatment. Lecture/class notes are not available from the course professor, and informational announcements (e.g. about assignments, exam contents, extra credit) may only be made once in class, possibly at the very beginning (before stragglers arrive, or before everybody realizes that class has started) or at the very end (after some students may have left, or drowned out by the zipping of backpacks). Students are encouraged to plan ahead for absences by making standing arrangements with classmates for taking and sharing notes, picking up extra copies of handouts, etc. In case of excused absences only, students are welcome to ask the course professor about missed announcements, handouts, and the general topics covered in class. Academic Misconduct and Disruptive Behavior Students should familiarize themselves with relevant sections of the University’s Digest of Rules and Regulations, including the sections on class attendance and class absence, class disruptions, expectations for students, regulations for student behavior, and student cheating and plagiarism. Violations include, but are not limited to, disrupting classroom activities, cheating on examinations, and misrepresenting the reasons for absences. Sanctions can include penalties or loss of credit for the relevant coursework, suspension from class, loss of credit for the course, and administrative action such as probation, suspension or expulsion from the university. Examination/Quiz Policy It is very important for students to sit for exams at the scheduled times, and to conduct themselves in an orderly and responsible manner during exams. Students are not guaranteed the opportunity to make­up missed exams/quizzes. Penalties for academic misconduct on exams/quizzes may be subtracted from student scores, and/or from final course grades in the case of large penalties. Students who talk or look around during exams/quizzes may be asked to turn in their work immediately without finishing, may be penalized on their scores, may be asked to do a make­up, or any combination. If students are asked to stop looking around, or to change seats, they should know that questions or objections should be saved for after class, so as not to disturb the class. Students who are more than ten minutes late may be asked to reschedule for a make­up, or may not be allowed to take the exam at all. Make­up examinations may be very different from the original, and/or may be more difficult. Reasonable accommodations will be made for those who have genuine medical problems, schedule conflicts, etc., but only if these are communicated to the course professor in a coherent, responsible, and timely manner (for details see “Attendance Policy, Late Papers, Missed Exams” above). Personal Communications Students are encouraged to communicate questions of potential general relevance about the course material, course resources and course schedule during class. Other, personal concerns should be communicated outside of class (before class, after class, by e­mail, a note left in the department office, during office hours, or as a last resort, by voice­mail or FAX sent to the attention of the course professor).
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 91 Matters best discussed outside class include missed exams and make­up exams, late papers, assignment/exam grades, lost textbooks, disability status, and other personal matters. If it is something that might potentially impact one’s grade, it should typically be in writing, so that there is a physical record of what was communicated and when. Requests to receive personal phone calls from the professor should be made only under exceptional circumstances and as a last resort. For most purposes, communications should include your first and last names, the date, the course and your section number. E­mails should always have informative headings which clearly distinguish them from spam, e.g. by including the course name. Any request for special treatment should either be made in person, to allow for discussion, or it should address all the relevant questions the first time­through – why special treatment is necessary and deserved, how long the problem lasted or will last, how or when (specifically) you could make up the work, anything else that makes your request easier to understand, more compelling, and easier to resolve. Official documentation rarely speaks for itself, and rarely addresses everything that should be addressed – documentation is not a substitute for an explanation or a discussion. Do not skip class while you are trying to resolve an issue. If you request something, pick it up. If you make an appointment, then make the appointment. If you schedule a make­up exam, show up for it. If you e­mail me, check for a response. Good etiquette and personal responsibility are part of effective communication at school and at work. Department Office Policy Per departmental policy, students leaving materials (e.g. medical excuses, term papers) for professors in the department are required to have the submission documented and dated by department staff. Disability Statement In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which accommodation is required [see below]. Students with disabilities must verify their eligibility through the office of Student Disability Services (SDS) in the Michael Schwartz Center (672­3391). Note for Professor Berard’s classes: disability status should be communicated in the first week of class or within one week of a new diagnosis. Special treatment will probably not be given without verified eligibility, and special treatment will not be given retroactively, even with verified eligibility, to cover work handed out or completed before verification of disability is submitted to the course professor. Revisions to Syllabus The course professor reserves the right to amend the course syllabus in light of unforeseen events and developments. Any changes will be announced in class.
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 92 Course Schedule Reading should be completed before the class for which it is assigned, so that you will be able to get the most out of lecture, be able to ask questions when they are timely, etc. Jan 18 Tu Introductory concerns Jan 20 Th Theoretical Criminology Reading: Liska, Ch. 1, “Introduction,” pp. 1­15 Jan 25 Tu Theoretical Criminology Reading: Liska, Ch. 1, “Introduction,” pp. 15­27 Jan 27 Th Structural­Functionalist Theory Reading: Liska, Ch. 2, “The Structural/Functional Perspective,” pp. 28­40 Feb 1 Tu Structural­Functionalist Theory Reading: Liska, Ch. 2, “The Structural/Functional Perspective,” pp. 40­54 Feb 3 Th Social Disorganization, Learning, and Control Theories Reading: Liska, Ch. 3, “Ecological Theories…,” pp. 55­68 Feb 8 Tu Social Disorganization, Learning, and Control Theories Reading: Liska, Ch. 3, “Ecological Theories…,” pp. 68­79 Feb 10 Th Social Disorganization, Learning, and Control Theories Reading: Liska, Ch. 3, “Ecological Theories…,” pp. 79­87 Feb 15 Tu MID­TERM EXAMINATION I Feb 17 Th Rational Choice Theories Reading: Liska, Ch. 4, “The Rational Choice/Deterrence Perspective,” pp. 88­103 Feb 22 Tu Rational Choice Theories Reading: Liska, Ch. 4, “The Rational Choice/Deterrence Perspective,” pp. 103­113 Feb 24 Th Labeling Theory Reading: Liska, Ch. 5, “The Labeling Perspective,” pp. 114­125
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 93 Mar 1 Tu Labeling Theory Reading: Liska, Ch. 5, “The Labeling Perspective,” pp. 125­137 Mar 3 Th Labeling Theory Reading: Liska, Ch. 5, “The Labeling Perspective,” pp. 137­146 Mar 8 Tu MID­TERM EXAMINATION II Mar 10 Th Conflict Theories Reading: Liska, Ch. 7, “The Conflict Perspective” pp. 179­190 Mar 15 Tu Conflict Theories Reading: Liska, Ch. 7, “The Conflict Perspective” pp. 190­203 Mar 17 Th Conflict Theories Reading: Liska, Ch. 7, “The Conflict Perspective” pp. 203­209 Mar 22­24 SPRING RECESS­ NO CLASSES Mar 29 Tu Conflict Theories/Functionalist Theories Reading: Gans, “The Positive Functions of the Undeserving Poor” Mar 31 Th Conflict Theories/Cultural Theories Reading: Pp. 146­156 from Beirne and Messerschmidt “Delinquent Subcultures and Subcultures of Delinquency” in their Criminology. Apr 3 rd COURSE WITHDRAWAL PERIOD ENDS – All students should calculate their grades and speak with the course instructor during office hours before the course withdrawal period ends, if they have any questions or problems concerning receiving credit or satisfying other grade requirements with this course. Apr 5 Tu Conflict Theories/Labeling Theories Reading: Chambliss “The Saints and the Roughnecks” Apr 7 Th MID­TERM EXAMINATION III Apr 12 Tu Introducing A Situational Understanding of Criminal Offending Reading: Reamer, Ch. 1, “First Lessons,” pp. 1­28
ASC Introduction to Criminology Sample Syllabi Page 94 Apr 14 Th Crimes of Desperation Reading: Reamer, Ch. 2, “Crimes of Desperation,” pp. 29­48 Apr 19 Tu Crimes of Greed, Exploitation, and Opportunism Reading: Reamer, Ch. 3, “Crimes of Greed, Exploitation, and Opportunism,” pp. 49­79 Apr 21 Th Crimes of Rage Reading: Reamer, Ch. 4, “Crimes of Rage,’ pp. 80­96 Apr 26 Tu Crimes of Addiction Reading: Reamer, Ch. 7, “Crimes of Addiction,” pp. 134­158 Apr 28 Th Crimes of Mental Illness Reading: Reamer, Ch. 8, “Crimes of Mental Illness,” pp. 159­179 May 3 Tu Conclusion on Situational Understanding of Criminal Offending Reading: Reamer, “Final Lessons,” pp. 180­194 May 5 Th Final Course Concerns FINAL EXAMSection #1 Section #2 Monday, May 9 th , starting at 12:45 Wednesday, May 11th, starting at 12:45
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