CRIM. 1301 Section 1: Intro to Criminology,
Spring 2011
Class Meets: 2-3:40 p.m. M,W in Chem 200 (Online work will substitute for some class time)
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Instructor: Susan Janssen, sjanssen@d.umn.edu |
TA: Asha Moreland, morel041@d.umn.edu |
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Instructor
office hours: T 9:30-11, Th 12–1:30 |
TA
office hours: T, W 12:30-2:00 |
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Instructor’s office: 251 ABAH, 218-726-8767 |
TA office: Cina 212 |
Textbook: Hagan, Frank. 2011. Introduction to
Criminology (7th edition). ISBN 9781412979719
Available at UMD Bookstore, various
online stores, and in print and e-book format at http://www.sagepub.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book235222&WT.mc_id=eHaganVTICFRB
Additional readings: Posted
on Moodle
Moodle Access: https://moodle.umn.edu/course/view.php?id=15557
Description and Liberal Education Objectives:
Analysis of social justice with emphasis on criminal justice system in United States. Nature and extent of crime; social factors related to criminal behavior. Soc. 1301 is a liberal education course listed under category 8. Courses in this category analyze contemporary issues and their relationship to individuals and/or social institutions in economic, political, educational, or religious systems. This course deals with crime and the justice system. Specific objectives are:
1. To encourage you to think critically about crime, criminal behavior, and the justice system.
2. To introduce major theoretical perspectives in criminology.
3. To develop a “sociological imagination:” awareness of social institutions, historical events, and current issues as they affect individual lives, particularly with respect to legal and illegal behavior.
4. To increase awareness of cultural diversity in crime and the justice system.
Required Activities and
Assignments:
1. Online work and forum discussion will be assigned at regular intervals. You will be required to access and submit assignments through the Moodle course site. If you have not set up Moodle access, you may do so at http://www1.umn.edu/moodle/students/guides/access.html
2. Exams: There will be four multiple choice exams plus a comprehensive final. The lowest of your first four scores will be dropped. You must take the final exam regardless of your scores on the first three exams - the final exam score may not be dropped. If you have a verifiable excused absence on an exam day, you may request a make-up, or you may choose to drop the missed exam. Make-up exams will be essay style. Make-up exams must be arranged within a week after the missed exam.
Expectations,
Policies, and Grading:
The following system will be used in grading:
|
Activity |
Points |
% of grade |
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Online assignments (9 @ 15 pts each) |
135 |
27% |
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Exams (best 3 of 4 @ 75 pts.each) |
225 |
45% |
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Forum participation |
40 |
8% |
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Final Exam |
100 |
20% |
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Total |
500 |
100% |
Letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
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A |
460-500 pts. (92%+) |
C |
360-389 pts. (72-77%) |
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A- |
450-459 pts. (90-91%) |
C- |
350-359 pts. (70-72%) |
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B+ |
440-449 pts. (88-89%) |
D+ |
340-349 pts.(68-69%) |
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B |
410-439 pts. (82-87%) |
D |
300-339 pts. (60-67%) |
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B- |
400-409 pts. (80-81%) |
F |
0-299 pts. (< 60%) |
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C+ |
390-399 pts. (78-79%) |
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Make-up /Extra credit: A maximum of 20 points may be earned from any of the following. Final product must be of high quality in order to get full points:
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Max. points |
Activity |
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20 pts. |
20 hours of volunteer work (this semester) with individuals or groups who are disadvantaged or in need. This work must be done through an existing community agency and must be approved by me in advance (not after the work is done!). Volunteer work that is required for another course cannot be used for extra credit in this course – but you may put in 20 extra hours in order to count it for this class. The program in which you are working must be specifically designed for individuals in need of considerable help or intervention. The work must all be done in one place (not a combination of places), and you must do the full 20 hours in order to get the extra credit. Keep a log of the dates, time, and type of work done and write a short summary of how the concepts learned in this course apply to your experience. Have the log signed by your supervisor. |
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20
pts. |
Interview an individual whose work involves criminology, criminal
justice, law enforcement, or crime prevention. Examples include, but are not limited to, law
enforcement officers, judges, court employees, criminal lawyers, correctional
facility employees, probation and parole officers, victim advocates,
counselors and psychologists who work with crime victims and/or people who
victimize others. If you
aren’t certain whether a job would fit, feel free to ask about it. Tell
how the interviewee might use criminology in their work. Show how concepts
learned in this class apply to the occupation you
describe. The report may be organized in any way that makes sense to you, but
be sure it covers their job description, background and education, why or how
they got into this line of work, day to day experiences,
and observations on how society and social institutions relate to their work.
Suggested length is 8-10 pages. |
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5 pts.each, 10 pts.max. |
Lecture summary. Attend a university or community lecture on a topic related to crime, justice, or criminology. Write a 2-3 page summary. Include your reaction to the speaker. A maximum of 2 lecture summaries (up to 10 points) may be used for extra credit. Classroom lectures do not count – this must be a campus-wide or community event, open to the public. Announcements of these events can be found all over campus and on the UMD calendars. |
Expectations and Classroom Etiquette: It is expected that students will follow the UMD student
conduct code. You are expected to attend class
regularly, pay attention, make every effort to keep up and turn in assignments
on time, ask for help if needed, and be polite and respectful in the classroom. Distracting behaviors such as walking in late, talking during lectures,
ringing or vibrating cell phones, or text messaging, will not be tolerated. In turn, you can expect me to come to class prepared,
know the material I teach, be available during office hours, provide up-to-date
information on your progress, listen to your concerns, provide help when
needed, and respect you as a student and human being.
No Laptops, Phones, or Other
Electronic Devices: In order to eliminate potential distraction and respect
others’ privacy, electronic devices such as laptops, phones, cameras, and the
like may not be used in the classroom.
If you bring these devices into the room they must remain turned off.
Powerpoint
slides will be made available on Moodle and may be
printed in advance of the lecture. Electronic recording of any kind is
prohibited within the classroom unless such recording is necessary for
accessibility purposes. In that case, please inform me in advance.
Academic Integrity: It is expected that students will follow all aspects of the university's academic integrity policy . The consequences of violating this policy may include a lower or failing grade on a particular assignment, a lower or failing grade in the course, or sanctions imposed by the university.
Late work/extensions: Late work will not be accepted. Assignments are available through the Moodle system during specific time periods. Availability and deadlines will be posted on the Moodle calendar.
Incompletes: In order to get a grade of "I" for this course, at least 70% of the work must have been completed with a passing grade. Arrangements should be made before the final exam; an incomplete agreement form must be approved and signed by the student and instructor. If you have not completed at least 70% of the work with a passing grade, talk to me about withdrawing from the course. Withdrawals after the 8th week must be approved by the instructor, department, and college.
Withdrawals: You are free to withdraw from the class for any reason up to the end of the eighth week. After that, departmental permission is required. We do not consider failing grades to be grounds for withdrawal from a course. Around the eighth week of the semester, I will send out an email alert to any student whose current grade is a D or lower. If you receive such an alert, it is important to see me as soon as possible to discuss your options. To avoid getting a D or F on your official record, it is strongly recommended that you evaluate your progress in this course before the end of the eighth week.
Class Cancellation: If class is unexpectedly canceled due to inclement weather, instructor illness, or other situation, you may assume that the activity scheduled for that day will take place the next time the class meets, unless otherwise notified. This includes exams.
E-mail: Official announcements may be made via UMD e-mail. Be sure to check your e-mail daily.
Final exam: Tuesday, May 10 at 4:00 p.m.
No
early or late finals will be given, except
in accordance with the official university
final exam policy.
Students with disabilities: It is the policy and practice of the University of
Minnesota Duluth to create inclusive learning environments for all students,
including students with disabilities. If there are aspects of this course
that result in barriers to your inclusion or your ability to meet course
requirements – such as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use
of non-captioned videos – please notify the instructor as soon as possible.
You are also encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Resources to
discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations. Please call
218-726-6130 or visit the DR website at www.d.umn.edu/access for more information.
Course Calendar (subject to change – check
for updates and announcements on Moodle)
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1/19 |
Intro to course; crime and
criminals |
1 |
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1/24 |
Research methods in
criminology |
2 |
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1/26 |
Research methods in
criminology |
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1/31 |
General characteristics of
crime and criminals |
3 |
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2/2 |
General characteristics of
crime and criminals |
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2/7 |
Early and classical
theories of crime |
4 |
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2/9 |
Early and classical
theories of crime |
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2/14 |
Exam 1 (Covers chapters 1-4) |
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2/16 |
Biological and
Psychological theories of crime |
5 |
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2/21 |
Mainstream sociological
theories of crime |
6 |
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2/23 |
Mainstream sociological
theories of crime |
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2/28 |
Critical and integrated
theories of crime |
7 |
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3/2 |
Critical and integrated
theories of crime |
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3/7 |
Exam 2 (Covers 5-7) |
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3/9 |
Violent crime |
8 |
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3/14-3/18 |
Spring break |
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3/21 |
Violent crime |
8 |
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3/23 |
Conventional and
professional property crime |
9 |
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3/28 |
Conventional and
professional property crime |
9 |
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3/30 |
White collar and corporate
crime |
10 |
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4/4 |
White collar and corporate
crime |
10 |
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4/6 |
Exam 3 (Covers 8-10) |
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4/11 |
Political crime and
terrorism |
11 |
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4/13 |
Organized crime |
12 |
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4/18 |
Organized crime |
12 |
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4/20 |
Public order crime |
13 |
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4/25 |
Public order crime |
13 |
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4/27 |
Exam 4
(covers 11-13) |
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5/2 |
Computer crime |
14 |
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5/4 |
Future of crime |
15 |
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5/10 (Tues) |
FINAL EXAM 4:00 P.M. |
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