Environmental Criminology
Winter Session 2015
Instructors: Ismail ONAT
(27:202:321 W2)
1. Course Information:
Class Time:
: December 22, 2014 – January 16, 2015
08:30 AM - 12:40 PM
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Location of Class
: 352 Conklin Hall
Instructor`s Office Location : Room 547
School of Criminal Justice
Center for Law and Justice
123 Washington St.
Newark, NJ 07102
Office Hours
: By appointment
E-mail
: ionat@rutgers.edu
2. Course Overview / Description
This course aims to review and reinforce student`s knowledge of environmental
approaches to crime. Environmental criminology considers how the everyday
environment provides opportunities for crime as well as obstacles for carrying it out. It
provides important means for reducing crime by modifying or planning the built
environment, and designing produces and places so crime is less opportune. Moreover, it
offers an alternative theory of crime based on the opportunity to carry it out. While the
course starts with a brief on historical roots of the environmental perspective, it mainly
1 focuses on contemporary environmental approaches, the analysis of crime patterns, and
preventing and controlling crime. It introduces students to basic concepts in literature on
environmental criminology, equips students to conduct crime analysis, to prevent and
control crime in different situations.
3. Expected Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn environmental criminology theories to answer the question why does
crime happen where it does. Students will be able to analyze the crime problem at a
particular place and apply the following skills they have learned:
o Determine the appropriate unit of analysis for a particular research question.
o Use theory and empirical findings to identify what data should be collected.
Collect the required data using both primary and secondary data sources.
o Analyze the data collected and draw from theory to explain the crime pattern
observed.
o Suggest crime prevention strategies based on existing empirical research and the
data they collected
4. Course Requirements & Processes
Required Readings
Wortley, R., & Mazerolle, L. (Eds.). (2008). Environmental criminology and crime
analysis. Willan.
Clarke, R. V., & Eck, J. (2005). How to become a problem solving analyst in 60 small
steps. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Community
Oriented Policing Services.
http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Publications/CrimeAnalysis60Steps.pdf
Attendance: Students are expected to attend all sessions, on time, and stay for the
duration of the class. Authorized absences will only be granted when requested in
advance, and when supported by medical or other official documentation. Unauthorized
absences will negatively impact the course grade.
Participation: Students are also expected to have read the assigned materials prior to the
session in which they will be discussed, and to participate in class discussion actively.
Crime Analysis Reports: Students will be required to hand in 2 crime analysis reports
during the semester. The required length of each report paper is 2 double-spaced pages
(12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins) excluding references.
Problem-specific guides on the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing web site provide
examples and guidance regarding crime-focused problem analysis. The guides provide a
useful starting point for thinking about and organizing problem analyses.
2 1. Problem Definition Report:
Describe a narrow and specific problem of interest to you, ideally one with which
you have some familiarity. Avoid broad-brush general problems, and try to be as
specific as possible. You should probably focus on a problem in a particular
geographical area or place type, perhaps involving a particular institutional
setting, crime type, victim or offender. For example “robbery” would be too
general, whereas “robberies from convenient stores” would be more on target. In
providing your description, include brief summaries of two relevant references
that help explain the problem you are interested in. 2 pages. 25% Due 29
December, 5:00 pm.
2. Problem Analysis Report
What sorts of things contribute to the problem? Describe theoretical or prior
empirical bases for your claims. Describe measures and data that would help you
understand those things. Include brief summaries of 2 additional references. 2
pages, plus any supporting data. 25% Due 09 January, 5:00 pm.
3. Prevention Plan
This will include summary of existing interventions targeting your problem area
or something related (cite at least 2 studies), a discussion of the targeting and
mechanism of your proposed intervention. 25% Due 15 January, 5:00 pm.
Reports are to be submitted via blackboard and handed in as hard copy.
5. Grading
Attendance
: 10% of final grade
Participation
: 15% of final grade
Problem Definition Report
: 25% of final grade
Problem Analysis Report
: 25% of final grade
Prevention Plan
: 25% of final grade
6. Communication:
Students are responsible for following blackboard, providing their email addresses in the
first week of the course, and updating instructors on any change in email addresses.
3 7. General Information (School & University)
Academic Integrity :As a member of the Rutgers University community you are not to
engage in any academic dishonesty. You are responsible for adhering to basic academic
standards of honesty and integrity as outlined in the Rutgers University Policy on
Academic
Integrity
for
Undergraduate
and
Graduate
Students
(http://cat.rutgers.edu/integrity/policy.html). Your academic work should be the result of
your own individual effort, you should not allow other students to use your work, and
you are required to recognize and reference any material that is not your own. Violations
of the university’s policy will result in appropriate action.
Students with Disabilities : As stated in the Manual for Students and Coordinators of
Services
for
Students
with
Disabilities
(http://disabilityservices.rutgers.edu/docs/studentmanual.pdf), Rutgers University “is
committed to providing equal educational opportunity for persons with disabilities in
accordance with the Nondiscrimination Policy of the University and in compliance with §
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990.” For students with disabilities, review the manual and then contact the
Student
Disability
Coordinator,
Nelitha
Wilson-Michael
(nmichael@andromeda.rutgers.edu; 973-353-5300), who is located in room 352 in the
Robeson Campus Center.
Psychological and Counseling Services :If you experience psychological or other
difficulties as a result of this course, or because of other issues that may interfere with
your performance in the course, please contact the university’s psychological and
counseling service center (http://www.counseling.newark.rutgers.edu; 973-353-5805),
which is located in Blumenthal Hall, room 101. The center offers a variety of free,
confidential services to part-time and full-time students who are enrolled at Rutgers.
4 8. Course Schedule
Class
Date
Topic
Chapter
1
22-Dec
Course introduction/ Environmental
Criminology and Crime Analysis
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 1
2
23-Dec
Research Your Problem
Clarke & Eck (2005) (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 19)
3
24-Dec
The rational choice perspective
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 2
4
25-Dec
Defining Problem
Clarke & Eck (2005) (4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15)
5
26-Dec
Situational precipitators of crime
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 3
6
29-Dec
Steps in problem analysis
(Problem Analysis Report Due)
Clarke & Eck (2005) (20, 21, 22)
7
30-Dec
Routine activity approach
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 4
8
31-Dec
Crime pattern theory
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 5
9
1-Jan
Crime mapping and hot spot analysis
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 6
10
2-Jan
Repeat victimization
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 7
11
5-Jan
Concentration in Space and time
Clarke & Eck (2005) (23, 24, 25, 28)
12
6-Jan
Geographic profiling
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 8
13
7-Jan
Crime prevention through environmental
design
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 9
14
8-Jan
Situational crime prevention
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 10
15
9-Jan
16
12-Jan
17
13-Jan
Broken windows
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 13
18
14-Jan
Intervention planning and Mechanisms
Clarke & Eck (2005) (39,40, 41, 42, 43)
19
15-Jan
Intelligence-led policing
(Prevention Plan Due)
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 14
20
16-Jan
Course Review
No reading assigned
Designing products against crime
(Problem Definition Report Due)
Problem-oriented policing and
environmental criminology
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 11
Wortley & Mazerolle (2008) Ch. 12
*The syllabus is subject to change by the Instructor
5