University of Hawai i at Mānoa SOC 333 Survey of Criminology Spring 2014 Online

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1 University of Hawai i at Mānoa SOC 333 Survey of Criminology Spring 2014 Online Instructor: Mari Kita marikita@hawaii.edu Office Hours: Via anytime Course Website: Course Description: This class will illuminate social causes of crime by going over basic contemporary subjects in criminology and criminal justice as well as providing historical background and context. By highlighting the issues of race and ethnicity, gender, and social class, the class will focus specifically on the foundations of criminology, the U.S. criminal justice system, prominent theories and theorists, contemporary knowledge, and critical issues in criminology in the U.S. and other parts of the world. At the end of the class each student should have basic knowledge of theories concerning the causes of crime, understand how criminologists gather data and study crime, understand types of crime, their differences, and interrelations and be able to critically assess issues relating to crime and criminal justice. Textbook: Barkan, Steven E. (2011). Criminology: A Sociological Understanding. 5th edition. ISBN-13: Additional readings will be provided on Laulima You can purchase the textbook at the UH Manoa bookstore. However, you may also try amazon.com or other websites that sell textbooks with reduced prices. Method of Instruction: This class is offered entirely in an online format. Students can access to the class material via an Internet connection any time from any location. However, students also have responsibilities to participate in class on a regular basis just as much as they do in a course conducted in a regular classroom. Not only interacting with the instructor but also with other students will be highly valued in this class. Students should make the best use of , discussion forums, and chat room to communicate with each other and ask questions to the instructor. Students are also expected to do as much work as they do in a regular course. Although powerpoint slides will be posted on laulima with reading assignments to enhance students understanding of the chapter, it is critical for students to do their own reading as the textbook will be the primary source of exam questions. Examinations and Assignments: Exams There will be two exams, one mid-term and one final, which will include multiple-choice, definitions, and short answer format items. Tests will be closed-book

2 and will not be cumulative as they will cover each sections of the course that they follow. No make-up exams will be given. However, under extraordinary circumstances (death in the family, serious illness, etc.) a make-up exam may be arranged. Reflection Paper Each student will write one reflection paper for either one of the two films, Goodfellas OR City of God. The paper must be 4-5 pages long (1 inch margin, 12 point font). Students are required to apply theories, concepts, and ideas of criminology to any aspects of the movie using the assigned reading materials. This should show that the student has enough understanding of criminology to be able to apply it to various situations s/he observes in the film. In addition to the assigned materials (e.g. textbook and outside readings), outside material can be used as sources to support your arguments, provided they are properly cited in the ASA format within the paper. Goodfellas: (Free) or rent on YouTube ($1.99) City of God: (Free) or rent on Amazon for 24 hours ($2.99) Discussion forums Each student will make at least two posts about the reading materials assigned each week. The instructor will post questions on the discussion forum and you can either answer these questions directly or make a post replying or expanding somebody else s post. The objective of having discussion forums is to facilitate interaction between the instructor and students as well as interaction among students. Each week, we should have various answers to the instructor s questions or a few long discussions that everybody contributed to. Each post must be at least a few paragraphs long. These posts are every Wednesday and Saturday at 11:59PM Hawaii Time. Students are recommended to write a draft on Word Document and proofread it before they make a post on the forum. Students are also welcomed to make more than one post per topic. Course Schedule Reading Topics Assignments and Examinations 1 Chapter 1 Understanding Crime: Criminology and the Sociological Perspective The sociological perspective Crime, deviance, and criminal law Research methods in criminology Discussion forum post #1 Discussion forum post #2 Chapter 2 Understanding Crime: Public Discussion forum post #3

3 2 Opinion, the New Media, and the Crime Problem Public opinion and crime policy New media coverage of crime and criminal justice Research on public beliefs about crime and criminal justice Discussion forum post #4 3 Chapter 3 Understanding Crime: The Measurement and Patterning of Criminal Behavior Measuring crime Resent trends in US crime rates Pattering of criminal behavior Social patterns of criminal behavior Chronic offenders and criminal careers Discussion forum post #5 Discussion forum post #6 4 Chapters 5 and 6 Explaining Crime Classical and neoclassical perspectives Biological and psychological explanations Discussion forum post #7 Discussion forum post #8 5 Chapter 7 Explaining Crime: Social Structure Theories The legacy of Durkheim Social disorganization and social ecology Anomie and strain theory Subcultural theories Discussion forum post #9 First Midterm 6 Chapter 8 Explaining Crime: Social Process Theories Learning theories Control theories Life-course theories Discussion forum post # 10 Discussion forum post #11 7 Chapter 9 Additional readings on laulima Explaining Crime: Critical Perspectives Labeling theory Conflict and radical theories Feminist theories Discussion forum post #12 Discussion forum post #13

4 8 Chapters 10 and 12 Criminal Behaviors: Violent Crime and Property Crime Violent crime: Homicide, assault, and robbery Property and crime fraud Discussion forum post #14 Discussion forum post #15 9 Chapter 11 Criminal Behaviors: Violent Against Women The gendered nature of violent crime Discussion forum post #16 Discussion forum post #17 10 Chapter 14 Criminal Behaviors: Political Crime Defining political crime Crime by government Crime against government Discussion forum post #18 Second Midterm 11 Chapter 13 Criminal Behaviors: White-Color Crime and Organized Crime White-color crime Organized crime Discussion forum post #19 Discussion forum post #20 12 Chapter 15 Criminal Behaviors: Consensual Crime Illegal drug use Sexual offenses Gambling Discussion forum post #21 Discussion forum post #22 13 Chapter 16 Additional readings on laulima Controlling and Preventing Crime: Policing Crime control in a democratic society Development of the modern police force Working personality and police behavior Police discretion Impact of policing on crime Discussion forum post #23 Discussion forum post #24

5 Women and people of color in police forces 14 Chapter 17 Additional readings on laulima Controlling and Preventing Crime: Prosecution and Punishment Criminal courts and the adversary system Punishment, social structure, and inequality Impact of punishment on crime The death penalty debate Discussion forum post #25 Discussion forum post #26 15 Chapter 18 How Can We Reduce Crime? The criminal justice system funnel A sociological prescription for crime reduction Discussion forum post #27 Discussion forum post #28 16 Final Exam Reflection Paper Due Final Exam Grading Scale: Two exams 30% each One response paper 25% Discussion forum posts 15% Grade Distribution: %= A 80-83%= B %= D %= A %= C %= D 86 89%= B %= C 60-63%= D %= B 70-72%= C- 59% or lower= F Academic Dishonesty: Any form of cheating will not be tolerated. Any student caught cheating during exams will be removed from class and will receive an automatic F for the class. Plagiarism, in any form, will not be tolerated either. Not understanding plagiarism will not be an acceptable excuse. Repeated plagiarism will result in the student being referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs. Please refer to the student code of conduct for further information. Kokua Statement: Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability is invited to contact me privately. I would be happy to work with you, and the KOKUA Program (Office for Students with Disabilities) to ensure reasonable accommodations in my course. KOKUA can be reached at (808) or (808) (voice/text) in

6 room 013 of the Queen Lili'uokalani Center for Student Services.