CRIMINOLOGY
SOC 2750 01
Tuesday and Thursday
SPRING 2011
9:30am-10:45am
INSTRUCTOR:
G.L. MAZARD WALLACE, PHD
OFFICE: Thompson 108D
PHONE: X 3038
Email: gmazardw@fsc.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
M 12:30pm-3pm
F 10:30am-11am
And by appointment
This course seeks to provide a sociological framework for examining crime.
We will survey and critique definitions of crime, and the field of
criminology. Our analysis will include such topics as theories of crime,
criminal statistics, homicide, rape and property crimes; white collar crime
and corporate deviance and debates on punishment and rehabilitation.
Throughout the course there will be an emphasis on developing the critical
thinking skills that will allow students to evaluate the social and cultural
meaning of crime and “criminal behavior”.
General Course Objectives:
Successful completion of this course will promote the general student
outcomes listed below:
1. Introduce the student to critical and conceptual thought about crime and
criminal behavior.
2. Introduce students to important sociological terms such as criminology,
deviance, deterrence, and retribution.
3. Introduce students to the various types of crimes found in our society.
4. Encourage students to think critically about information disseminated
about crime and the causes of criminal behavior.
Course Requirements
I.
Attendance- Students are expected to attend all discussion and
research sections. Missing three or more class sessions will result in
the loss of a letter grade (subsequent absences will require an
additional loss of grade). One (and only one) absence will be excused
due to health reasons- provided a physician’s note, indicating that the
illness precluded your attendance, is presented by the student. If you
have an illness that requires missing multiple classes you will want to
speak to the appropriate College officials to determine the best course
of action.
II.
Assignments- (a) Exams:
III.
Submitted Work- All submitted papers must cite all sources
Students will be given 7 Exams over
the course of the semester that will cover material from readings and
lecture. The quizzes will consist of a combination of multiple
choice/true-false and essay questions. The lowest of these eight exam
scores will be dropped as long as you take all 7 exams. Missing the
last quiz will result in a loss of 100 points from your final semester
score (60% of final grade-600 total points).(b) Essay portions of
Exams: Students will be asked in some cases to write the essay
portion of your quiz at a different time. When this is done, students
are expected to include in-text citations and a works cited page.
Omissions of appropriate citations or citation style will result in a
substantial loss of points.
used, be typed (1.5-2.0 spacing), stapled and contain a bibliography of
works cited. All work MUST be submitted in paper form. No online
submissions of work will be allowed.
IV. Participation- Everyone is expected contribute verbally in class
and to have read the course readings before coming to lecture section. Do not
come to class without being prepared, as it will reflect negatively on your
final grade. You will never be required to know everything. You are,
however, expected to be willing to engage everything. Throughout the
semester, you will be assigned response papers (usually one to two pages in
length) that will contribute to your participation grade (from 10-25pts).
These papers must be turned in on time-at the beginning of class. Late papers
will not be accepted. Longer response papers will include extra credit
points(a maximum of 10 points)
Another note on participation: You must speak in class to receive
participation points. If you refuse to speak in class you will need to see me
regularly during office hours to discuss the readings. If I call on you in class
this helps you as it increases your participation numbers. If you are called
on and you have nothing to contribute-particularly if you have not prepared
yourself for class-assume that your participation grade will be harmed.
(Participation counts for 40% of final grade-400 points).
Course Materials:
1. Criminology: A Sociological Understanding by Steven Barkan
2. Additional Readings and Videos will be made available as necessary
ADDITIONAL NOTES
1. EMAILING: EVERY EMAIL IS VIEWED AS AN AGREEMENT
TO MEET WITH ME DURING OFFICE HOURS. IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS, COMMENTARY OR SUGGESTIONS THAT
WARRANT AN EMAIL, YOU MUST COME AND SEE ME DURING
OFFICE HOURS. WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE? SOME STUDENTS USE
EMAIL TO AVOID CONTACT WITH THEIR INSTRUCTORS. I
WANT TO SEE YOU AND TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS YOUR
QUESTIONS IN-PERSON AND IN-DEPTH. I FEEL SO STRONGLY
ABOUT THIS THAT I COUNT OFFICE VISITS AS EXTRA CREDITSUPPLEMENTING YOUR PARTICIPATION GRADE.
2. MAKE-UP QUIZZES: THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP
QUIZZES.
3. COMPUTER & CELL PHONE USAGE: IF YOU ARE USING YOUR
COMPUTER FOR ANY ACTIVITY THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY
RELATED TO COURSE WORK YOU WILL FORFEIT YOUR
PARTICIPATION. IF YOU ARE SENDING TEXT MESSAGES, YOU
WILL FORFEIT YOUR PARTICIPATION GRADE.
4. CHANGES TO SYLLABUS: YOUR SYLLABUS IS A GUIDE AND IS
NOT “ETCHED IN STONE”. THERE MAY BE TIMES IN WHICH IT
MAY BE NECESSARY TO ADJUST OUR SCHEDULE BASED ON A
VARIETY OF FACTORS. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE ALTERATION
WILL BE NOTED VERBALLY IN CLASS AND INCLUDED IN THE
ONLINE VERSION OF OUR SYLLABUS.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE STUDENT WITH A DOCUMENTED
DISABILITY, SPEAK TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR REGARDING ANY
ACCOMODATIONS THAT CAN BE MADE.
The grade distribution for individual assignments is as follows:
A [ 95-100 ]
C+ [ 74-76 ]
A- [ 92-94 ]
C [ 71-73 ]
A-/ B+ [ 89-91 ]
C- [69 – 70 ]
B+ [ 86-88 ]
C-/D+ [67 – 68]
B [ 83-85 ]
D+ [ 64-66 ]
B- [80 – 82 ]
D [60 – 63 ]
B-/C+ [77 – 79 ]
F [ 0-59 ]
TOTAL POINTS FOR THE COURSE: 1000
Rough equivalent between total points and letter grades is as
follows:
A=1000-900 POINTS
B =899-800 POINTS
C=799-700
D=699-600
F=599-0
Schedule of Readings and Assignments
Week 1
Jan. 20
Introductions, Review of Syllabus
Thursday: Introductions & Review of Syllabus;
Week 2
Jan. 25, 27
Sociological Criminology, Criminology & Research
Methods
Readings- Chapter 1
Tuesday: Lecture and Discussion-Concept of Deviance
(NO CLASS-PROFESSOR ILL)
Thursday: Lecture & Discussion-, The Sociological
Perspective, Sociological Criminology/ Research Methods in
Criminology (NO CLASS-PROFESSOR ILL)
Week 3
Feb. 1, 3
Public Opinion, the News Media and the Crime
Problem
Readings: Chapters 1& 2
Tuesday: Lecture and Discussion-Concept of
Deviance/Sociological Criminology
Thursday: Lecture and Discussion- Crime as Representation
Assignment: choose a video image of crime, criminal
behavior or the response to crime and criminal
behavior. Explain what is being represented in the
video, who the intended audience may be and what is
the desired effect of the video image.
Week 4
Feb. 8, 10
Measurements and Patterns of Criminal Behavior
Readings: Chapter 3
Tuesday: Lecture and Discussion-How do we Measure
Crime? / Patterns of Criminal Behavior
Thursday: EXAM #1
Week 5
Feb. 15, 17
Victims and Victimization
Readings: Chapter 4
Tuesday: Lecture & Discussion-Victimology
Thursday: EXAM # 2
Week 6
Feb. 22, 24
Explaining Crime/Sociological Theory: Social Structure
Readings: Chapters 5 & 6
Tuesday: Lecture-Crime and Essentialism (pt.1)
Thursday: Lecture-Crime and Essentialism (pt.2)
Week 7
Mar. 1, 3
Sociological Theory: Social Process & Critical
Perspectives
Readings: Chapters 7 & 8
Tuesday: Lecture & Discussion-Sociological Theory
Thursday: EXAM #3
Week 8
Mar. 8, 10
Violent Crime/ Violence Against Women and
Children
Readings: Chapters 9&10
Tuesday: Lecture and Discussion-Violence
Thursday: Lecture & Discussion- Representations of Women
and Violence
Week 9
Mar. 15, 17
SPRING BREAK
Week 10
Mar. 22, 24
Property Crime/White Collar Crime
Readings: Chapters 11&12; NPR- Fresh Air with
Terry Gross- Frank Partnoy: Derivative
Dangers
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p
hp?storyId=102325715
Tuesday: Lecture &Discussion-Property and White Collar
Crime
Thursday: Video-The Madoff Affair (Frontline)
Week 11
Mar. 29, 31
Political Crime
Readings: Chapter 13; Justice after Bush:
Prosecuting an outlaw administration
By Scott Horton
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/12/008
2303
Tuesday: Lecture-Political Crime
Thursday: EXAM #4
Week 12
Apr. 5,7
Consensual Crime
Readings: Chapter 14
Tuesday: Lecture & Discussion-Consensual Crime
Thursday: EXAM #5
Week 13
Apr. 12,14
Policing
Readings: Chapter 15
Tuesday: Lecture & Discussion-Policing
Thursday: EXAM #6
Week 14
Apr. 19, 21
Prosecution and Punishment
Readings: Chapter 16; The Prison Industrial
Complexhttp://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199812/prisons
Tuesday: Lecture & Discussion-Punishment in America
Thursday: Video-OJ Trial (Frontline)
Week 15
Apr. 26, 28
Conclusion: How to Reduce Crime
Readings: Chapter 17
Tuesday: Group Strategies on how to Reduce Crime
Thursday: EXAM #7
Academic Integrity Policy
Excerpted from the FSC Online Catalog (http://www.fsc.edu/catalog/Policies/)
“Every member of the College community is expected to maintain the highest
standards of academic integrity. A student shall not submit work that is
falsified or is not the result of the student's own effort. A student who is in
doubt regarding standards of academic integrity in a course or assignment
should consult the faculty member responsible for that course or assignment
before submitting the work. A student's lack of understanding of the academic
integrity policy is not a valid defense to a charge of academic dishonesty.
A student's name on any written or creative exercise (e.g., examination, report,
thesis, theme, laboratory report, computer program, artistic production, etc.), or
in association with an oral presentation, declares that the work is the result of
that student's own thought and study. Any work that the student declares as
his or her own shall be stated in the student's own words and produced
without the assistance of others. Students must make clear through accurate
citations when they make use of other sources. Talking during an examination,
or possession or use of unauthorized materials or equipment during an
examination constitutes an infringement of the academic integrity policy.
Aiding and abetting academic dishonesty also constitutes a violation of the
academic integrity policy.
Unless permission is received in advance from the faculty member in charge of
the course involved, a student may not submit, in identical or similar form,
work for one course that has been used to fulfill any academic requirement in
another course at Fitchburg State College or any other institution. A student
who perceives the possibility of overlapping assignments in courses should
consult with the appropriate faculty members before presuming that a single
effort will fulfill requirements of both courses. Students should consult course
syllabi for additional guidance on matters of academic integrity.”