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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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Created: August 24, 2003
Latest update: December 11, 2003
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

Criminology: CRMJ/SOCA 233

Susan Takata
Office: 370 MOLN
Office Hours: MWF 8:45-9:45am & by appointment
Phone: (262) 595-2116
E-mail: takata@uwp.edu
FAX: (262) 595-2471
Class meets MWF 10-10:50 a.m.

Brief Description:

CRMJ/SOCA 233 will focus on the forms, causes and controls of crime. You will evaluate and assess some of the major explanations of criminal behavior and typologies of crime. In addition, we will examine crime control and crime prevention strategies as they relate to theory, policy, practice.

Texts:

• Pollock.(1999) Criminal Women.
• William & McShane.(1998) Criminology Theory: Selected Classic Readings.
• Dear Habermas Website [refer to handout]
• (optional) Adler, Mueller & Laufer. (2000) Criminology: The Shorter Version.

Materials/Resources:

You must have:

• A bound notebook/journal
• An e-mail address (available through school)
• Internet access (access to PCs in microcomputing labs on campus)

Course Objectives

• To master the concept of aesthetic process of answerability and its role in creating an atmosphere of morality and ethics in our institutions and world systems, particularly the educational system. Outcome: Students will participate in class discussions on answerability and the aesthetic process of collaborative creation. Students will choose from these discussion topics for written discussion that will enhance their skills at translating oral thinking into written documents and serve as one measure of learning for this class.
• To recognize differences between theory, factual knowledge, and the application and synthesis of that knowledge in praxis. Become familiar with the interrelationship between criminological theories, policies, and practice. Outcome: Students will choose between the types of knowledge and to balance them.
• To review classic, modern, and postmodern criminological theories. Outcome: Students will participate in class discussions on theoretical foundations for present re-interpretations of criminological theory. Students may choose measure so learning from these discussions.
• To apply theoretical discussions to examples within their own institutions and lifeworlds. Focus on conceptually linking criminological theory to current events and personal narratives shared in face-to-face and Internet discussions. Outcome: Class discussions, summaries of which will appear on the Internet, will provide myriad examples for applications. Students will choose an application of specific personal interest and prepare an approach to the application, either for understanding, or in some cases, making it better, using the theoretical tools on which we have focused. Students may choose measures of learning from these applications.
• Towards the end of the semester, students will look back on their own class interactions as an example of the creative production of a forum through application of the tools of the aesthetic process of answerability and the understanding of illocutionary force. This evaluation of the class will be initiated in class and Internet discussions. Outcomes: Students may choose this evaluative process as a measure of learning in this class.

Grades and Grading

Grades can be important feedback when they are collaborative and used as feedback to guide further learning. They are harmful when they become a reified end in their own right. Because we are required by the institution to give grades, there must be a means of your letting us know what you hae learned. We expect each of you to communicate with us, so that we come to know you and your learning. Meaningful learnings come when we stretch the corners of each others' minds by looking at these concepts from multiple perspectives that come from our myriad unique experiences. You are invited to choose the measures of learning that best fits your learning style best. More details will be provided in class.

The 5Cs - communication, consistency, competency, creativity, and cooperation continue to represent our standards for evaluation. Refer to Grades on the Dear Habermas web site. Your coursework must show scholarly discipline in conceptually linking your learning to theory, policy, practice, and to course readings and discussions.

Statement on Plagiarism

DON'T DO IT!! Give credit to those whose ideas and words you use. Cooperation and sharing in this class will earn you a better grade. Adversarialism is not a part of our teaching. We believe that learning flowers in an environment that permits mutuality to flourish.

Other Important Notes

Students with Disabilities - Any student with a disability requiring accommodations in this course is encouraged to contact me after class or during office hours. Additionally, students should contact Disability Services Office in WYLL D175. Staff can be reached at 595-2610 or 494-2372.

Deadlines/Due Dates - All due dates and deadlines are firm. Late assignments will not be accepted. A "no show" will result in an "F" for that particular task. The absolute final deadline for all course work is Monday, December 1st, 10 a.m. central time.

Communicating - It is your responsibility to communicate an emergency and other situations in a timely manner to the professor. Communicating your whereabouts is important. Don't be a field mouse.

Groupwork: You may work in groups on any or all exercises or assignments. Cooperative learning groups are strongly encouraged. You can work with more than one group, and with different groups. All names of active group members should be recorded as indicated on the exercise material. (Refer to Cooperative Learning on the Dear Habermas site ).

!!WARNING: THIS IS NOT YOUR TRADITIONAL COURSE WHERE THE PROFESSOR LECTURES WHILE STUDENTS QUIETLY TAKE NOTES. THIS PROFESSOR USES A COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH AS WELL AS SEVERAL EXPERIMENTAL AND INNOVATIVE TEACHING/LEARNING TECHNIQUES. GROUPWORK IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THIS COURSE!

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Week	Topic	Readings due
Week 1	Answerability and Academic Assessment	[Adler, ch.1]
Week 2	Crime and Criminal Law (notes) **optional Wed, 9/10 12 noon to 1 p.m. Computer Workshop in the library microcomputing classroom	Pollock, ch. 1; [Adler, ch. 10]
Minimal Requirements in Criminology: First and Second Weeks
Week 3	Measuring Crime (notes) Teaching/Learning Theory, Policy, Practice	Pollock, ch. 4; [Adler, ch. 2]
Week 4	Classical School	Beccaria,Bentham; Pollock, ch. 5; [Adler, ch. 3]
Week 5	Positivist & Psychological Explanations	Lombroso, Akers; Pollock, ch. 6 & 8; [Adler, ch. 4]
Minimal Requirements in Criminology: Third, Fourth, and Fifth Weeks
Week 6	Strain Theory	Merton
Week 7	The Chicago School	Shaw&McKay,Sutherland, Sellin; [Adler, ch. 5]
Week 8	Culture Conflict & Subcultural Theories **Fri 10/24 - Last Day to Drop Course	Cohen, Cloward & Ohlin, Miller; [Adler, ch. 6]
Minimal Requirements in Criminology: Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Weeks
Week 9	Social Control Theory	Hirschi, Sykes & Matza,Reckless; [Adler, ch. 7]
Week 10	Targets and Victims of Crime	Cohen & Felson; [Adler, ch.8]
Week 11	Labeling Theory	Becker, Lemert; [Adler, ch. 9]
Week 12	Conflict Theory and Marxist Criminology	Quinney,Spitzer, Turk, Pollock,ch 6 & 7
Minimal Requirements in Criminology: Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Weeks
Week 13	Feminist Criminology **Fri, 11/28 Thanksgiving Break - No Class	Klein, [Adler, ch.11 & 12]
Week 14	Crime Typologies ** Mon, 12/1 10 a.m. central time - Final Absolute Deadline	Pollock, ch. 2-3; [Adler, ch. 13-14]
Week 15	Criminology: Theory, Policy, Practice Revisited	Pollock, ch. 9; [Adler, ch. 15]
Week 16	Criminology: Teaching/Learning Revisited ** Mon, 12/15- Last Day of Class	---

Site Copyright: Jeanne Curran and Susan R. Takata and Individual Authors, August 2003.
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