Report One

Due September 7 in class

Reading: text chapter “Inequality, Crime, and Victimization”

1. Choose one crime of violence and one property crime and explain how social position permits and prevents opportunities for their commission.

2. Discuss how class, gender, race, and age interact to affect criminal motives and opportunities.

3. Identify other forms of inequality in society that have not been examined in this chapter, and then discuss how they may be related to crime and victimization.

Remember to cite your sources with the APA style discussed in the syllabus when summarizing or quoting others.  Papers without referencing in the body will not receive a grade.

Report Two

Due September 21 in class

Reading: text chapter “Interpersonal Violence.”

1. Discuss the differences between serial murder and mass murder.

2. According to Kimmel and Mahler (2003), what are the characteristics of most school shooters?  How did the case at Virginia Tech fit their model? Use one other school shooting case to compare.

3. According to the authors, what are the factors related to gang rape and wife rape?

4. Compare and contrast child abuse characteristics with elder abuse.

Report Three

Due November 2 in class

Reading: text chapter Social Learning Theory and Social Control Theory

1. Explain the causes of crime according to the social learning theory.

2. How would you put this theory into practice to decrease crime?

3. How would you put social control theory into practice to decrease crime?

4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of self-control theory?

Report Four

Due November 14 in class

Reading: text chapter “The Conflict Tradition”

1. What are the pros and cons of studying the process of criminalization along with acts of crime?

2. What would the social organization of a future society look like that has no crime?

3. Describe Left Realism in your own words, discuss the implications for crime control, and weigh its strengths and weaknesses.

Report Five

Due December 7 in class

Reading: text chapter “Comparative Criminology”

1. Evaluate the five causes of high U.S. crime rates discussed in the chapter.

2. Discuss the characteristics that countries with low crime rates share.

3. What lessons can U.S. policy makers learn from the crime rates of other countries?

4. What are the connections between globalization and crime?