SOAN 100: The Myths of Crime
What is crime? What percentage of the American
population is victimized by crime? Who is the typical
offender? Are criminals becoming more violent? In this
A&I seminar we examine popular answers to these and
other pressing questions about crime and criminal
justice, and contrast them with sociologically informed
accounts. In the process you will learn how to locate
and interpret quantitative evidence, apply theoretical
accounts of crime to existing statistics, and interrogate
popular accounts of crime. By the end of the course you
will have acquired insights into the larger sociological
enterprise, particularly as it applies to the study of crime
and criminal justice in contemporary American society,
and be better equipped to think critically about the
stories and statistics we are told about crime and other
social phenomena.
Photo from: http://www.students.stedwards.edu/caleman/crime%20scene.html
Professor:
Address:
Email:
Office Phone:
Office Hours:
Annette Nierobisz
234 Leighton Hall
anierobi@carleton.edu
(507) 222-4114
Mondays 2:00-3:00pm; Tuesdays 1:00-3:00pm; or by appointment
Writing Assistant:
Email:
Elicia Cousins
cousinel@carleton.edu
Course Materials:
A series of journal articles, book chapters, and newspaper articles are available online at JSTOR,
ProQuest, or on e-reserve (password: SOAN). Three books are also required reading for this
course:

Best, Joel. 1999. Random Violence: How We Talk About New Crimes and New Victims.
Berkeley: University of California Press.

Jacoby, Joseph E. (Ed.). 2004. Classics of Criminology, 3rd Edition. Long Grove, IL: Waveland
Press.

Miller, Jody. 2001. One of the Guys: Girls, Gangs, and Gender. New York: Oxford University
Press.
All of the assigned readings should be completed prior to class discussion. The material represents
a balance of classic and contemporary literature in criminological theory and research. Please be
an active, critical, and sociologically-informed reader – we will all benefit if you engage the readings
and bring your thoughts, insights and criticisms to class.
Requirements:
There are two written assignments in this course:
Assignment One: In this assignment you are asked to verify the claims made about the deterrent
effects of the death penalty. Your task will be to locate empirical evidence that either refutes or
supports the claims made, and write a paper that summarizes the evidence in approximately 5-7
pages. This assignment counts for 20 points toward your final grade.
Assignment Two: This assignment will be ongoing throughout the term and will culminate in a
class presentation and final paper that will be submitted at the end of term. The assignment asks
you critically analyze media claims about a particular crime or criminological issue. This
assignment counts for 50 points toward your final grade and it involves five separate parts:

Part 1: Find a news article that describes a crime or criminological issue in your home city,
home state, or a U.S. geographic region of your choice. You will submit the article along
with a one-page document that outlines personal anecdotes and/or your perceptions of the
issue.
2

Part 2: Submit a detailed overview of the statistical indicators you will use to examine the
claims made in your news article. This paper will be two pages in length and it will include
proper citations of your data sources.

Part 3: Submit an initial draft of your paper.

Part 4: Submit a more complete draft of your paper.

Part 5: Submit a final paper that is approximately twelve pages in length, including tables
and charts.

Part 6: Present your findings to your classmates. Presentations will be exactly five minutes
in length and will not count for points toward your final grade.
This course also requires you to make two class presentations. In a first presentation, you and a
small group of classmates will be assigned to present and lead discussion on a chapter from the
book, Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective. In a second presentation, you and a
small group of classmates will be assigned to present and lead discussion on a chapter from the
book, Imprisoning America. Each presentation counts for 7.5 points toward of your final grade.
Class Participation: Given that student participation is vital to the learning experience, class
participation will be considered when I compute your final grade. This grade counts for 10 points
toward your final grade and it is based on a combination of involvement in the class and professional
conduct in the classroom. I encourage you to share your thoughts and insights during class
discussions, even if you are uncertain or nervous about doing so. A class that is lively and animated
makes for a wonderful learning experience from which we will all benefit. Please refrain, however,
from behaviors that undermine or disrupt the intellectual climate of the classroom. These
behaviors include, but are not limited to, tardiness, surfing the internet during class discussion,
having a personal conversations with a classmate during class discussion, etc. On a final note,
students who miss more than two classes will lose their class participation grade. No
exceptions will be made without appropriate documentation (e.g. doctor’s note, note from your
class dean or coach, etc.).
Accommodations:
Students who require an accommodation due to the impact of a disability should contact me
privately to discuss specific needs. The office of Disability Services for Students will also help
coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities; please visit this
URL to learn more: https://apps.carleton.edu/campus/wellness/disability_services/
Academic Honesty:
Carleton’s procedures and regulations regarding academic honesty are available at this URL:
http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/dos/asc/academic_regs/?policy_id=21359. I expect all of my
students to embrace academic honesty so please carefully review these documents to understand
what practices constitute academic dishonesty.
3
Summary of Class Requirements
Assignment
Distribution Date
Submission Date
Numerical Value
Assignment One
Sept. 23
Oct. 6
20
Assignment Two,
Part 1
Assignment Two,
Part 2
Assignment Two,
Part 3
Assignment Two,
Part 4
Assignment Two,
Part 5
Assignment Two,
Part 6
GIS Assignment
Sept. 14
Sept. 22
5
Sept. 14
Oct. 13
5
Sept. 14
Oct. 20
10
Sept. 14
Nov. 10
10
Sept. 14
Nov. 15
20
Sept. 14
Nov. 14
0
Oct. 19
Oct 21
5
Class Presentation
__
Nov. 2
7.5
Class Presentation
__
Nov. 9 or Nov. 11
7.5
Class participation
__
__
10
Grade range: “A” = 90-100%; “B” = 80-89%; “C” = 70-79%; “D” = 60-69%; “F” <= 59%
COURSE OUTLINE
1. The Sociological Study of Crime
9/12:
Introduction: Why Study the Myths of Crime?
 Freedland, Jonathan. 2011. “What Isn’t Behind the London Riots?” The
Washington Post, August 18, 2011, online edition:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-isnt-behind-the-londonriots/2011/08/10/gIQAnBGg8I_print.html
 Shteir, Rachel. 2011. “Five Myths about Shoplifting.” The Washington Post,
August 2, 2011, online edition: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/fivemyths-about-shoplifting/2011/07/11/gIQAIMXipI_story.html
9/14:
What is Sociology? A Brief Introduction
 Best, Joel. 1999. “Preface”
 Best, Joel. 1999. “Chapter 1: Random Violence”
 Gladwell, Malcolm. 2008. “The Roseto Mystery.” Pp. 3-11 in Outliers: The Story of
Success. New York: Little, Brown and Company (e-reserve).
 Zezima, Katie and Abby Goodnough. 2007. “On Idyllic Cape Cod, Growing Drug
Problem Fuels a Rise in Property Crimes.” New York Times, August 7, 2011
4
(available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/08/us/08crime.html?scp=1&sq=cape%20c
od&st=cse)
9/16:
Conceptualizing Crime: Classical and Biological Approaches
 Beccaria, Cesare. 1963/2004. “On Crimes and Punishment.” Pp. 352-360 in J.E.
Jacoby (ed.), Classics of Criminology
 Lombroso-Ferrero, Gina. 1911/2004. “Criminal Man.” Pp. 141-156 in J.E. Jacoby
(ed.), Classics of Criminology
 Palmer, Alasdair. 2002. “Don’t Blame Me, Blame My Genes.” The Spectator, Oct.
12, 2002 (e-reserve).
 Shea, Christopher. 2009. “The Nature-Nurture Debate, Redux.” The Chronicle of
Higher Education, Jan. 9, 2009 (e-reserve).
9/19:
Conceptualizing Crime: Psychological and Sociological Approaches
 Goddard, H.H. 1914/2004. “Feeble-mindedness.” Pp. 165-171 in J.E. Jacoby
(ed.), Classics of Criminology
 Durkheim, Emile. 1938/2004. “The Normal and the Pathological.” Pp. 119-123
in J.E. Jacoby (ed.), Classics of Criminology
 Gladwell, Malcolm. 2009. “The Trouble with Geniuses, Part 1.” Pp. 69-90 in
Outliers: The Story of Success. New York: Little, Brown and Company (e-reserve).
 Gladwell, Malcolm. 2009. “The Trouble with Geniuses, Part 2.” Pp. 91-115 in
Outliers: The Story of Success. New York: Little, Brown and Company (e-reserve).
9/21:
Temperature and Crime: Psychological or Sociological Phenomenon?
 Lehren, Andrew W. and Al Baker. 2009. “In New York, Number of Killings Rises
With Heat.” The New York Times, June 19, 2009 (e-reserve).
 Lehren, Andrew W., and Christine Hauser. 2009. “In New York City, Fewer
Murders on Rainy Days.” The New York Times, July 3, 2009 (e-reserve).
 Cohen, L.E. and M. Felson. 1979. “Social Change and Crime Rate Trends: A
Routine Activity Approach.” American Sociological Review 44: 588-608
(available on JSTOR).
 Note that an abridged version of Cohen and Felson’s classic article is found in
Jacoby’s Classics of Criminology (p. 52-60). For the same of clarity and depth, I
recommend reading the original work rather than the abridged version.
9/23-26:
How do Sociologists Study Crime? Data and Methods
9/23 Readings:
 Best, Joel. 1999. “Chapter 2: From Incidents to Instances”
 Wittebrood, Karin and Marianne Junger. 2002. “Trends in Violent Crime: A
Comparison between Police Statistics and Victimization Surveys.” Social
Indicators Research, 59: 153-173 (available on JSTOR).
 Please review the FBI Uniform Crime Reports homepage, available at
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/ucr
5
9/26 Library Session
 No readings assigned
9/28-9/30:
The Social Dimensions of Criminal Activity
9/28 Readings:
 Best, 1999. “Chapter 7: “Declaring War on Social Problems”
 Best, 1999. “Chapter 8: Connections Among Claims”
 Hirschi, Travis and Michael R. Gottfredson. 1983. “Age and the Explanation of
Crime.” American Journal of Sociology 89: 552-584 (available at JSTOR).
9/30 Readings:
 “A New Breed of Predator.” St. Petersburg Times, July 19, 1992 (e-reserve).
 Scelfo, J. “Bad Girls Go Wild.” Newsweek, June 13, 2005: 66-68 (e-reserve).
 Steffensmeier, Darrel and Jennifer Schwartz. 2009. “Trends in Girls’
Delinquency and the Gender Gap.” Pp. 50-83 in Margaret Zahn (ed.), The
Delinquent Girl. Philadelphia: Temple University Press (e-reserve).
10/3:
Is Crime “Always and Everywhere” a Male Activity?
 Kanazawa, Satoshi and Mary C. Still. 2000. “Why Men Commit Crimes (and Why
They Desist).” Sociological Theory 18(3): 434-447 (available on JSTOR).
 Zimmerman, Gregory M. and Steven Messner. 2010. “Neighborhood Context
and the Gender Gap in Adolescent Violent Crime.” American Sociological Review,
75(6): 958-980 (e-reserve).
10/5-10/7:
The Social Dimensions of Criminal Victimization
10/5 Readings:
 Best, Joel. 1999. “Chapter 5: The New Victims”
 Best, Joel. 1999. “Chapter 6: The Victim Industry”
10/7 Readings:
 Please review the National Crime Victimization Survey homepage, available at
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/NACJD/NCVS/
 Macmillan, Ross. 2001. “Violence and the Life Course: The Consequences of
Victimization for Personal and Social Development.” Annual Review of Sociology
27: 1-22 (available on JSTOR).
10/10:
Visually Presenting Criminological Data
 Best, Joel. 2004. “Confusing Numbers.” Pp. 26-62 in More Damned Lies and
Statistics. Berkeley: University of California Press (e-reserve).
 Lab session in CMC 110.
6
II. Unpacking More Myths …
10/12:
Poverty and Crime
 Merton, Robert K. 1938/2004. “Social Structure and Anomie.” Pp. 214-223 in
J.E. Jacoby (ed.) Classics of Criminology
 Uggen, Christopher. 1999. “Ex-Offenders and the Conformist Alternative: A Job
Quality Model of Work and Crime.” Social Problems 46: 127-151 (available on
JSTOR).
10/14-10/21: Neighborhoods and Crime
10/14 Readings:
 Shaw, Clifford R., and Henry D. McKay. 1942. “Growth of Chicago and
Differentiation of Local Areas.” Pp. 17-42 in Juvenile Delinquency and Urban
Areas: A Study of Rates of Delinquents in Relation to Differential Characteristics of
Local Communities in American Cities. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (ereserve)
 Shaw, Clifford R., and Henry D. McKay. 1942. “Distribution of Male Juvenile
Delinquents in Chicago.” Pp.44-85 in Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas: A
Study of Rates of Delinquents in Relation to Differential Characteristics of Local
Communities in American Cities. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (ereserve).
 Note that an abridged version of Shaw and MacKay’s argument is found in
Jacoby’s Classics of Criminology (Pps.19-25; 272-274). For the same of clarity
and depth, I recommend reading the original work rather than the abridged
version.
10/17: Midterm Break
10/18: Adapting to College Evening Exercise, 7-9pm (location TBA).
10/19: Mapping Crime: Lab Session with Wei-Hsin Fu
 Anselin, Luke, Jacqueline Cohen, David Cook, Wilpen Gorr, George Tita. 2000.
“Spatial Analyses of Crime,” in Criminal Justice 2000, Volume 4, Measurement and
Analysis of Crime and Justice. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, US
Department of Justice (e-reserve).
10/21: Mapping Crime: Lab Session with Wei-Hsin Fu (con’t)
 Cohen, Jacqueline and George Tita. 1999. “Diffusion in Homicide: Exploring a
General Method for Detecting Spatial Diffusion Processes.” Journal of
Quantitative Criminology, 15(4): 451-493 (PDF version available online from
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=38c7431e-8a8c4202-b6ae-fac259c964a0%40sessionmgr13&vid=2&hid=13).
7
10/24:
The Problem of Juvenile Gangs
 Thrasher, Frederick M. 1927/2004. “What is a Gang?” Pp. 4-8 in J.E. Jacoby
(ed.), Classics of Criminology
 Best, Joel. 1999. “Chapter 4: Gangs, Conspiracies, and Other Cultural Resources”
 Shakur, Sanyika. 1998. “Preface.” Pp. xi-xv in Monster: The Autobiography of an
L.A. Gang Member. New York: Penguin Books (e-reserve).
 Shakur, Sanyika. 1998. “Initiation.” Pp. 3-31 in Monster: The Autobiography of
an L.A. Gang Member. New York: Penguin Books (e-reserve).
10/26 -10/31: Girl Gangs
10/26 Readings:
 Kaiser, Emily. 2010. “Alisha Neeley’s Death Leads to Girl Gang Truce: The Ladiis
and the Baddest Squash Their Beef.” CityPages News, May 12, 2010, online
edition: http://www.citypages.com/2010-05-12/news/alisha-neeley-s-deathleads-to-girl-gang-truce/
 Miller, Jody. 2001. “Chapter 1. Perspectives on Gangs and Gender.” Pp. 1-17 in
One of the Guys: Girls, Gangs, and Gender. New York: Oxford University Press.
 Miller, Jody. 2001. “Chapter 2. Studying in ‘New’ Gang Cities.” Pp. 18-34 in One
of the Guys: Girls, Gangs, and Gender. New York: Oxford University Press.
10/28 Readings:
 Miller, Jody. 2001. “Chapter 3. Getting into Gangs.” Pp. 35-63 in One of the Guys:
Girls, Gangs, and Gender. New York: Oxford University Press.
 Miller, Jody. 2001. “Chapter 6. Gangs, Delinquency, and Violence.” Pp. 123-150
in One of the Guys: Girls, Gangs, and Gender. New York: Oxford University Press.
10/31 Readings:
 Miller, Jody. 2001. “Chapter 7. Gender and Victimization in Gangs.” Pp. 151-177
in One of the Guys: Girls, Gangs, and Gender. New York: Oxford University Press.
 Miller, Jody. 2001. “Chapter 8. Gender Strategies in Youth Gangs.” Pp. 178-198
in One of the Guys: Girls, Gangs, and Gender. New York: Oxford University Press.
11/2:
Quantitative Research on Gangs
 Thornberry, Terence P. et al. 2003. “Research procedures: The Sample and the
Data.” Pp. 11-31 in Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (e-reserve).
 Presentation readings (one reading will be assigned to you on 10/26)
1. Thornberry, Terence P. et al. 2003. “Characteristics of Gang Members.” Pp.
32-95 in Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press (e-reserve).
2. Thornberry, Terence P. et al. 2003. “The Antecedents of Gang Membership.”
Pp. 56-76 in Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (e-reserve).
3. Thornberry, Terence P. et al. 2003. “The Origins of Gang Membership.” Pp.
77-95 in Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press (e-reserve).
8
4. Thornberry, Terence P. et al. 2003. “Gangs and Other Law-Violating Youth
Groups.” Pp. 140-62 in Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (e-reserve).
5. Thornberry, Terence P. et al. 2003. “Long-Term Consequences of Gang
Membership.” Pp. 163-80 in Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental
Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (e-reserve).
III. Is Criminal Rehabilitation Possible?
11/4,7:
Prisons: History and Contemporary Reality
11/4 Readings:
 Foucault, M. 1975/2004. “Discipline and Punish.” Pp. 491-505 in J.E. Jacoby
(ed.), Classics of Criminology
 Giles, K. 2008. “Bigger, Safer, Stronger: A Prison for the Future.” Minneapolis
Star Tribune, Oct. 1, 2009, p. B1 & B7 (e-reserve).
 Mauer, Mark and David Cole. 2011. “Five Myths about Americans in Prison.” The
Washington Post June 19, 2011, online edition,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-aboutincarceration/2011/06/13/AGfIWvYH_print.html
11/7 Readings:
 Western, B., M. Pattillo and D. Weiman. 2004. “Introduction.” Pp. 1-18 in M.
Pattillo, D. Weiman and B. Western (eds), Imprisoning America. New York:
Russell Sage Foundation (e-reserve).
 Moore, Solomon. 2009. “Court Orders California to Cut Prison Population.” The
New York Times, Feb 10, 2009 (e-reserve).
 Goodman, Peter S. 2009. “Budget Cuts Eroding Progress in Juvenile Justice.” The
New York Times, July 11, 2009 (e-reserve).
11/9:
The Social Impact of Incarceration on Families
Presentation Readings (one reading will be assigned to you on 11/2):
1. Edin, Kathryn, Timothy J. Nelson, and Rechelle Paranal. 2004.
“Fatherhood and Incarceration as Potential Turning Points in the
Criminal Careers of Unskilled Men.” Pp. 46-75 in Imprisoning America.
New York: Russell Sage Foundation (e-reserve).
2. Nurse, Anne M. 2004. “Returning to Strangers: Newly Paroled Young
Fathers and their Children.” Pp. 76-96 in Imprisoning America. New
York: Russell Sage Foundation (e-reserve).
3. Johnson, Elizabeth I. and Jane Waldfogel. 2004. “Children of
Incarcerated Parents: Multiple Risks and Children’s Living
Arrangements.” Pp. 97-134 in Imprisoning America. New York: Russell
Sage Foundation (e-reserve).
9
11/11:
The Social Impact of Incarceration on Communities
Presentation Readings (one reading will be assigned to you on 11/2):
1. Lynch, James P. and William J. Sabol. 2004. “Effects of Incarceration on
Informal Social Control in Communities.” Pp. 135-164 in Imprisoning
America. New York: Russell Sage Foundation (e-reserve).
2. Uggen, Christopher and Jeff Manza. 2004. “Lost Voices: The Civic and
Political Views of Disenfranchised Felons.” Pp. 165-204 in Imprisoning
America. New York: Russell Sage Foundation (e-reserve).
3. Holzer, Harry J., Steven Raphael, and Michael A. Stoll. 2004. “Will
Employers Hire Former Offenders? Employer Preferences, Background
Checks and their Determinants.” Pp. 205-243 in Imprisoning America.
New York: Russell Sage Foundation (e-reserve).
11/14:
Class Presentations of Assignment 3
11/16:
Where Do We Go From Here?
 Travis, J. 2004. “Reentry and Reintegration: New Perspectives on the
Challenges of Mass Incarceration.” Pp. 247-267 in Imprisoning America. New
York: Russell Sage Foundation (e-reserve).
10