Assignment 1 (60 marks total)
A cover page and reference page is not required. References are required only if you
use non-course material in answering a question. Marking will be based on overall
readability (including spelling, grammar and presentation) and engagement
with/application of the course material.
Electronic Assistance List: At the end of the assignment list what electronic assistance
was used for the assignment (including if none was used) such as essay websites,
plagiarism checkers, information summarizers, and AI essay-helpers. Any dishonesty in
listing what you used will result in an automatic grade of zero. The assignment will not
be graded until an electronic assistance list is submitted.
Part One (10 marks)
Using the sections on ‘Animal crimes’ and ‘Sampling of pre-state crimes’ as a reference,
create a series of 3-4 “criminal laws” for your own home when growing up. What were
the major and minor crimes in your home? What were the penalties for the crimes? And
did the penalties work in deterring the crime?
Your answer needs to be a minimum of 500 words (approx. 2 pages double-spaced).
Part Two (50 marks)
Every culture must give an explanation for the existence of “crime” and evil, and those
explanations often rely on mythical or religious concepts. Sociology must attempt its own
explanation to assist us in understanding the tricky idea of “crime”. After reading Module
One, attempt your own sociological description of the origin of “crime”. Your answer to
Part Two needs to be a minimum of 2000 words in total (approx. 8 pages doublespaced).
This is a big question with no right or wrong answers, so you will be marked on how
logically you can approach the question and how well you apply/use the material
from the course module. Here are some potential topics you could explore in your
answer: When did “crime” first occur on this planet? Can only humans commit “crime”?
How is something determined to be a “crime”? Are some behaviours essentially
“criminal”? Why do individuals and societies disagree on what is a “crime”? Why do
some topics – sex, territory, violence - seem to be so interwoven with “crime”? Why
have human societies not solved the problem of “crime” despite attempting to for
thousands of years? Do laws need to be written down to make something a “crime”? Do
“crimes” change as populations and organizations increase? Can anything – even high
interest rates - be a “crime”? Why is “crime” always written within quotes for this
question?
See the Assignment Schedule for the due date. Submit using the Dropbox.