CRIMINOLOGY

Justice Studies 345 - Fall Term 2011

Professor:             

Gary Reed             

Justice Studies Program     

Social Science Division      

Lewis-Clark State College  

Spalding Hall, Room #211  

500 8^th Ave.          

Lewiston, ID 83501-2698    

Phone: (208) 792-2794         

E-mail: gereed@lcsc.edu

Class Meets:

Monday & Wednesday 3:00pm-4:15pm in Activity Center West #133

Office Hours:

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 4:20pm – 5:20pm and by appointment

Goals:

We will discuss the research that supports or refutes the various theoretical explanations of crime (Curran & Renzetti, 2001: xi-xiii).  We will also examine the practical implications of the theories.  Furthermore, students will become practiced at viewing crime, law, and theories about crime and the law as criminologists.  While some citizens may see criminological theories as simply explanations for why people do “bad” things, we will present the view that crime, law, and the theories that explain them are social products that reflect the social, political, and economic conditions of the period during which they were created.

Course Requirements:

Class Participation 25% Exam One 25%, Exam Two 25% Exam Three 25%

Class Participation:

Attendance is expected and active participation is essential for the success of this class. Students who participate actively derive the most lasting benefits from the course. Attendance will be taken most days, and at the end of the semester, students with an attendance record of 90% or better will receive an extra one percent added to their course grade. Participation includes attending class meetings and contributing to class discussions.  In order to ensure adequate student discussion, I reserve the right to call on students to discuss the topics of the day, so please be prepared to contribute. 

Participation also includes short reports (approximately 2-3 typed pages) on selected issues in the readings (to be assigned in class). The reports are important because they will serve as preparation for discussions. The reports will be evaluated on the quality and thoughtfulness of your social scientific analysis of the assigned material. They will be graded as: excellent, surpassing expectations (A), good, competent work (B), satisfactory (C), not satisfactory (D), failing (F).

REPORTS WILL BE DUE IN CLASS. LATE REPORTS WILL BE PENALIZED A FULL LETTER GRADE (e.g. a late "B" will become a "C"). FIVE (5) REPORTS WILL BE ASSIGNED. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THREE (3). YOU MAY SUBMIT FIVE REPORTS IF YOU NEED EXTRA CREDIT. The extra credit will be applied towards your participation grade. An "A" extra credit report adds three percent to your participation grade, a "B" is worth two percent, and a "C" is worth one percent.

Also note that your reports must contain references for paraphrased and quoted material.

 Reference all paraphrasing and quotes. Use block quotes for quotes longer than 5 sentences. Include a reference page. You must use the modified APA-style referencing that is used in the journal Criminology: A recent study (Smoe, 1996) reveals knowledge is good. A more specific paraphrase: Joe Smoe (1996:2) found 90 percent of the people believe knowledge is good. A long quote should be indented on both margins and single-spaced:

All work and no play make Jack/Jill a dull person. All work and no play make Jack/Jill a dull person. All work and no play make Jack/Jill a dull person. All work and no play make Jack/Jill a dull person. All work and no play make Jack/Jill a dull person. All work and no play make Jack/Jill a dull person. All work and no play make Jack/Jill a dull person. (Smoe, 1996:3)

When in doubt, it is better to err on the side of over-referencing sources. If you plagiarize, you will receive an "F" for the assignment

Exams:

Three exams (including the final exam) consisting of essay, multiple-choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blanks questions will be administered in class. Study questions will be available prior to the exams to help you prepare.

Student Conduct:

"Cheating or plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.  The College functions to promote the cognitive and psychosocial development of all students.  Therefore, all work submitted by a student must represent his/her own ideas, concepts and current understanding" (Provost Fernandez, 2008).

All students are expected to take the short tutorial on citing sources at: http://www.lcsc.edu/library/ILI/Module_2A/Welcome.htm

Any student with questions remaining as to what constitutes cheating or plagiarism should consult the instructor in order to avoid any misunderstanding. If a student is caught cheating, at minimum, he/she will fail the assignment, the Judicial Affairs Officer will be notified and the incident recorded. Students must also keep copies of any written work turned in. Moreover, we will be dealing with controversial issues at times and it is essential that discussions remain constructive and respectful. 

 Please refrain from gaming, web surfing or using your cell phone during class.

Assignment Grading:

A ³ 93%

A- ³ 90%

B+ ³ 87%

B ³ 83%

B- ³ 80%

C+ ³ 77%

C ³ 73%

C- ³ 70%

D+ ³ 67%

D ³ 63%

D- ³ 60%

F ³ 53%

Readings: (Available at the LCSC Bookstore)

Authors: Beirne, Messerschmidt

Title: Criminology, 5^th edition

Year: 2011

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 978-0-19-539476-4

OR Criminology, fourth edition Beirne & Messerschmidt, 2006, Roxbury Press

ISBN: 1-931719-64-0

Note the fourth and fifth editions have chapter topics in different order.

Note there are other criminology texts in the bookstore so make certain you have the right one.

On occasion, you will be required to access web-based readings listed in your text.

Topics and Assignments:

(Due to the nature of academic discussions, the items listed below will not always correspond to the days’ discussions, and we may not be able to cover every topic)

Aug 22-24: Introduction to the Problem of Crime

Reading: Chapter 1

Aug 29-31: The Measurement of Crime

Reading: Chapter 2

Sept 5: NO CLASS – Labor Day

Sept 7: Inequality, Crime and Victimization

Reading: Chapter 3 (Chapter 10 in 5^th ed.)

Written Report 1 (Sept 7)

Sept 12-14: Property Crime

Reading: Chapter 4 (Chapter 11 in 5^th ed.)

Sept 19-21: Interpersonal Violence and Serial Killers

Reading: Chapter 5 (Chapter 12 in 5^th ed.)

Written Report 2 (Sept 21)

Exam Study Questions Distributed

Sept 26-28: Syndicated Crime

Reading: Chapter 6

Sept 28: EXAM ONE

Oct 3-5: White Collar Crime

Reading: Chapter 7 (Chapter 13 in 5^th ed.)

Oct 10-12: Political Crime

Reading: Chapter 8 (Chapter 14 in 5^th ed.)

Oct 17-19: The Origins of Criminological Theory

Reading: Chapter 9 (Chapter 4 in 5^th ed.)

Oct 24-26: The Emergence of Sociological Criminology

Reading: Chapter 10 (Chapter 5 in 5^th ed.)

Oct 31-Nov 2: Criminology in the United States

 Reading: Chapter 11 (Chapter 7 in 5^th ed.)

Written Report 3 (Nov 2)

Exam Study Questions Distributed

Nov 7-9: Delinquent Subcultures

Reading: Chapter 12 (Chapter 6 in 5^th ed.)

Nov 9: EXAM TWO

Nov 14 Theoretical Diversity

Reading: Chapter 13 (Chapter 8 in 5^th ed.)

Written Report 4 (MONDAY, Nov 14)

Nov 21-25: Fall Break

Nov 28-30: New Directions in Criminology

Reading: Chapter 14 (Chapter 9 in 5^th ed.)

Dec 5-7: Comparative Criminology

Reading: Chapter 15 (Chapter 3 in 5^th ed.)

Exam Three (Final Exam) Study Questions Distributed

Written Report 5 (Dec 7)

December 14: FINAL EXAM: 3:00pm-4:50pm

Make your travel plans accordingly. Having plane tickets for travel before the exam is not a valid excuse for missing the scheduled exam.

Syllabus Addendum

Consumer Information

In 2008, the federal government required all post-secondary institutions offering federal financial aid programs to provide key data to both prospective and current students.  To comply with this requirement, Lewis-Clark State College has developed a consumer information page, which may be accessed at http://www.lcsc.edu/studentconsumerinformation/

Disability Accommodations

Students requiring special accommodations or course adaptations due to a disability and/or a health-related issue should consult their course instructors and the LCSC Student Counseling Center immediately (RCH 111, 792-2211).  Official documentation may be required in order to provide an accommodation and/or adaptation.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Students have the responsibility for knowing their program requirements, course requirements, and other information associated with their enrollment at LCSC.  Students should review the LCSC General Catalog (http://www.lcsc.edu/catalog/) and the LCSC Student Handbook (available at http://www.lcsc.edu/studentservices/contactus.htm) for more information.

Accidents/Student Insurance

Students participating in LCSC classes normally must look to their personal health insurance policy (Student Health Insurance Plan or comparable private coverage) should an accident occur.  In the event of an accident, please seek medical help, if necessary, and report the incident to LCSC Security (792-2226).  Fieldtrips or other special student activities may also require students to submit a signed participation waiver (forms can be obtained from the supporting Division Office).

Enrollment Verification/Attendance

Students who are not actively pursuing their classes may have to repay part or all of their financial aid awards depending upon the circumstances.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty, which includes cheating and plagiarism, is not tolerated at LCSC.  Individual faculty members will impose their own policies and sanctions regarding academic dishonesty.  Students who are accused of being academically dishonest may be referred to the Dean of Student Services for official disciplinary action.

Illegal File Sharing

Students using LCSC’s computers and/or computer network must comply with the college’s appropriate use policies and are prohibited from illegally downloading or sharing data files of any kind.  Specific information about the college’s technology policies and its protocols for combating illegal file sharing may be found on the Dean of Student Services’ web page (http://www.lcsc.edu/studentservices/).

Diversity Vision Statement

Regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation, you will be treated and respected as a human being. http://www.lcsc.edu/culturaldiversity/