INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY CR-102.004 SURVEY IN CRIMINOLOGY FALL 1998 Instructor: Theodore Shields Class Meetings: Walsh 205; M,W, and F--11:45 a.m to 12:45 p.m. Office Hours: Sutton 428, Monday and Wednesday 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Home Phone: 724/465-7577, Office Phone: 724/357-5978, or x 7-2720 Email - tshields@yourinter.net and qlgg@grove.iup.edu Course Description: This course is designed to provide "an understanding of the discipline of criminology through an examination of its theories, basic assumptions, and definitions" (IUP Undergraduate Catalog, 1998-1999). Course Objectives: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the fundamentals of criminology as an academic discipline. Students will acquire a basic knowledge of how, why, and by whom crime is defined. Students will also become aware of the functions of the different branches of the criminal justice system in this country. Finally, students will become familiar with a variety of criminological perspectives, including historical, interdisciplinary, cross-cultural and modern explanations of criminal behavior. In addition to the more traditional objectives, students will develop the skills necessary to practice criminological inquiry via the World Wide Web. Required Text: Siegel, Larry J. (1998). Criminology, sixth edition. New York: West/Wadsworth Publishing Company Other readings will be assigned during the semester. Grading: Class Participation: 10% Midterm Exam: 30% Final Exam: 30% Web-based Project: 30% Final Grade Criteria: 90% to 100% -- A 80% to 89% -- B 70% to 79% -- C 60% to 69% -- D Less than 60%-- F As opposed to some instructors, I really do not relish the thought of speaking for hours at a time. Such behavior is very rough on the throat. As is such, you will be expected to contribute to the learning process during each class period. Such contributions need be no more than merely your opinion on certain topics. Additionally, I have always suspected that individuals simply cannot listen to endless lectures and learn at an optimal level, therefore a portion of class time will be devoted to cooperative (group) learning. Your grade (10%) will reflect your participation in this process. Though I will not keep track of your every absence, it will be difficult to earn this 10% without regularly attending class. Bonus Points: There will be various opportunities during the semester to collect bonus points. You will be provided with in class assignments (approximately 12). Completion of each assignment will provide you with one bonus point to be added to your final examination. Thus, you have the opportunity to add 12 points to your final examination simply by completing these assignments. Such assignments will include written reactions, or opinions, on films, lectures, guest speakers, or current events. There will be no make-up of in-class bonus assignments, and there will be no individual extra credit assignments. Midterm and Final Exam: The midterm examination will cover material presented before October 12th. The final examination will cover material presented following the midterm. During our class review, I will make you aware of the information and concepts that will appear on the examination. You will not go into these examinations blind. Each examination will consist of a multiple-choice section, a matching section, a short answer section, and one short essay question. Make-up examinations can be provided in the event of illness or personal/family emergency. Instructor may require written confirmation during such situations. It is the student's responsibility to schedule make-up examinations. There will be no mak-up examinations after the course is over. As opposed to scheduled examination format, make-up examinations may be comprised entirely of several essay questions. World Wide Web Project: Students will be asked to build/design a web page devoted to some crime- related issue. This project is to be completed by groups of four. These groups will be assigned as the semester progresses. Time will be provided during class for the groups to get together and discuss their projects, but this is predominately an out of class assignment. We will hold three class sessions in the computer lab in order to get used to communicating via e-mail and allow students to familiarize themselves with the Internet. Do not be alarmed, this assignment does not require HTML skills or really ANY technical skills. Trust me, I do not have any. Tripod.com (see Handout) has made the web design process virtually equivalent to simple word processing/typing. The topic of the web project is for the groups to choose. The following is a list of potential topics: 1. Law Enforcement 2. Juvenile Crime 3. Juvenile Justice Systems 4. Gun Control (Pro, Con, or Neutral) 5. Death Penalty (Pro, Con, or Neutral) 6. Corrections (Prisons, Alternatives to Prisons, Prison Life, etc.) 7. Violent Crime (Murder, Child/Domestic Abuse, Sex Crimes, etc.) 8. Organized Crime (Either White Collar or Organized Street Crime) 9. Drug Crimes/Drug War (Pro, Con, or Neutral) 10. Property Crimes (Any aspect) 11. Internet Crime 12. War Crimes 13. Terrorism 14. Serial Murder 15. 1st Amendment (freedom of speech) issues 16. Crimes by the Government Groups may choose a relevant topic that does not appear on the list. All group topics must be approved by me before you begin work on your project. Web Pages should include the following: 1. Explanation of the importance/relevance of the topic 1. Explanation of how the world wide web can advance the understanding and/or knowledge of the subject 2. Links to other sites with information relevant to your topic. This should be the bulk of your cite, as you can have links to almost endless information all from one page. Each group's page should have a minimum of eight links to other, relevant sites. 3. Links to each group member's e-mail account (either as provided by IUP or personal) By linking to your page and all of your links, any web surfer should be able to gain a beginning, but substantial, knowledge of your topic/issue. Web Page Presentation: Groups will present and explain, via computer overhead projector, how and where each of the four criteria noted above is expressed within the web site. Groups will also explain the information that is available from each hyperlink. The presentation should provide evidence that, through visiting your web site and the links within your site, the web surfer mentioned above will be able to gain a working knowledge (i.e. more than is generally known) of your topic. As our time in the computer lab is limited, plan for your presentations to last approximately 10 minutes. Individual group members may divide presentation time amongst themselves in whatever manner they choose. Calculating Grades for Web Project: Student's grades will be calculated by combining three methods of evaluation: Self-evaluation within each group 20% Peer evaluation between groups 20% Instructor evaluation 60% Each member of each group will (confidentially) rate the other members of their group on their contribution to the project (1 to 25, with 1 being the lowest and 25 the highest). Also, each student will individually rate how they feel each group has fulfilled the four criteria mentioned above (each criteria rated from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest, and an additional 1 to 5 for presentation and page appearance). Finally, I will also grade the project with regards to the four criteria, along with each group's presentation and the appearance of the page. More detailed evaluation criteria for the first two methods will be provided as the semester progresses Tentative Class Schedule (Dates may change according to class progress. Such changes will be announced in class): All readings, unless otherwise specified, are from the Siegel text. 9/1 - Introduction; Web/Tripod Handout 9/2 - What is criminology? Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Deviance; pp2-22 9/4 - Origins of Western Law; pp24-42 9/7 - Meet in McElhaney 113; First Group 9/9 - Meet in McElhaney 113; Second Group 9/11 - Meet in McElhaney 113; E-mail and additional practice on Tripod 9/14 - Nature and Extent of Crime; pp45-68; Form project groups 9/16 - Origins and Overview of the Criminal Justice System; pp419-442; Handout 9/18 - History of Policing; pp445-452; Handout; GROUP TOPICS DUE 9/21 - Contemporary Issues in Policing; Community Policing; pp452-473 9/23 - Judiciary; pp479-501 9/25 - Sentencing; pp502-510 9/28 - Death Penalty; pp511-513; Handout(s) 9/30 - History of Punishment and Corrections; pp518-522; Handout 10/2 - Corrections in the United States today; pp523-546 10/5 - Development of Classical Criminological Theory; pp100-123 10/7 - Development of Positivist School; Handout(s) 10/9 - Review for Midterm Examination 10/12 -MIDTERM EXAMINATION 10/14 -Early Criminology (Durkheim, Chicago School); pp162-173 10/16 -Early Criminology continued…; Handout(s) 10/19 -Anomie and Subcultural Theories; pp174-189 10/21 -Social Learning Theories; pp195-207 10/23 -Social Control Theories; pp207-208; Handout 10/26 -Labeling Theories; pp212-220 10/28 -Marxist Thought and Conflict Theories; pp226-245 10/30 -Peacemaking; pp226 11/2 - Feminist Perspective; Handout 11/4 - Integrated Theories; pp252-260 11/6 - Integrated Theories; pp263-274 11/9 - Theoretical Summations/Future of Criminological Theory; Handout(s) 11/11 -No Class, Alternate Assignment 11/13 -No Class, Alternate Assignment 11/16 -Violent Crimes; pp280-300 11/18 -In Class Assignment 11/20 -In Class Assignment 11/23 -Property Crimes; pp317-333 11/25 -Thanksgiving Break 11/27 -Thanksgiving Break 11/30 -Juvenile Crime; Handout 12/2 - White Collar/Organized Crime; pp337-369; Handout(s) 12/4 - White Collar/Organized Crime; Handout(s) 12/7 - WEB PROJECT PRESENTATIONS; McElhaney 113 12/9 - WEB PROJECT PRESENTATIONS; McElhaney 113 12/11 -WEB PROJECT PRESENTATIONS; McElhaney 113 12/18 -FINAL EXAMINATION; 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.