ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND CRIME
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(CRJU/SOCI369-Fall 2007)
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2-3:20pm
Tammy L. Anderson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Office: Smith Hall rm 337, phone x2291, fax 831-2607,
Office Hours: Tuesday and ThursdayNoon -1:30pm.
Course Description and Objectives
This course examines the relationship between alcohol, drugs and crime. We will begin with a discussion of the chemical properties of drugs, where they come from, and how they impact individual and group behavior. Next is a history lesson about the shifting cultural ideals and practices concerning mood-altering substances in the United States from the latter 1800s to the present. Lectures and readings will review the political, economic, and social factors that produced the major pieces of drug legislation shaping United States policy today. Next is a review of the leading indicators of alcohol and drug consumption. Comparing rates of substance use between diverse population sub-groups is important for dispelling misconceptions about the problem and creating effective policy. From here, we move onto theoretical perspectives, which help us better understand substance use and abuse in society and how to deal with it.
Our focus then shifts to the many parallel consequences associated with substance use and abuse. Specifically, we will study the relationship of alcohol and drugs to health-related problems—HIV, STDs and violence—and to crime. We will review our country’s and other’s responses to such problems and the individuals involved. We then turn to a review of prevention and treatment programs that attempt to preclude or terminate substance abuse. Harm reduction (e.g., decriminalization and legalization) strategies will be considered.
Class subject matter will be presented from a sociological perspective that highlights the political, economical, and institutional influences on the alcohol, drugs, and crime problem in the U.S. and abroad. Problems among individual abusers, users, and offenders will be studied from this more macro-oriented perspective.
Required Texts
Brown, Cupcake. 2006. A Piece of Cake. New York: Three Rivers Press.
Kelley, Margaret S. (Ed.) 2006. Readings on Drugs and Society: the Criminal Connection. Boston: Pearson Education Group and AB Longman.
Assorted electronic files/websites hyperlinked to reading list below.
Course Requirements
- Three Exams- Each exam will contain 50 Multiple Choice questions (1.5 points each) and 1 essay question (25 points each). Each exam is worth 100 points = 300 points
- Research Papers = 100 points
Total Class points= 400
Grading
The University of Delaware’s peer institutions include Rutgers University, University of Iowa, and University of Minnesota. Dr. Anderson will perform at this level and expects the same from students. Therefore, this course will require considerable investment. Dr. Anderson takes the course seriously and has invested a lot of time in its preparation. She is responsible for consulting students about coursework during office hours, grading exams and papers within a reasonable timeframe (i.e., typically one to two weeks), and preparing stimulating and informative lectures. Dr. Anderson will communicate with students via email occasionally- making class announcements and transmitting readings. Therefore, students MUST regularly check their UDEL accounts for class notices. Dr. Anderson will return student emails between 9am and 6pm—Monday through Friday.
Students are responsible for attending class regularly and on time, being prepared for class, exams and assignments (this includes reading and studying the materials by the dates listed on the syllabus), thinking pro-actively about course material, and taking responsibility for their own learning. They are also responsible for proper classroom decorum and professional interaction with Dr. Anderson. Students’ grades will be based on four multiple choice exams (200 points), four group assignments (100 points) and one 1,500 word research paper (100 points).
Exams. Three 100 exams comprise 75% of your class grade. Each is based on a given part of the course. They are not cumulative. They will consist of 50 multiple choice questions (1.5 points each) and one 25 point essay question. All exam questions will be taken from information covered in your book, lectures, internet readings, and audio-visual information viewed in class. The exams will be administered during the first half of class, with students remaining for the second half to complete the group assignments (see below).
Papers. Students are required to write a 1,500 word paper, i.e., about 6-8 pages. Topics and research questions must be approved by Dr. Anderson by the first week in October. Your papers will be due in class during the last week of the semester. Please see the schedule below for the exact date. Papers must be type-written, double-spaced with conventional margins (one inch all around, with 12 point font), and paginated. Shorter and significantly longer papers will be penalized. Only stapled printed copies of the papers will be accepted. Thus, students cannot email or provide a disc/cd/drive of their work for grading. Late papers will be penalized at five points per day, including weekend days.
Papers must contain a title page (with paper title and student’s name, social security number, and codename), a 1,500 word body of the paper, and a reference section. Papers MUST come complete with a reference section that follows the Chicago style of referencing for the social sciences. Sources MUST be academic or scientific in nature and MUST be found on one of your library’s academic databases. Use of information from websites/pages is forbidden and will be penalized. The only exceptions are government pages with a .gov URL. Students can use no more than two of these as sources.
Your paper must include cites in the body of the text (where appropriate) and corresponding full citations in a reference section at the end of the paper. You learned about this in your English writing class. Failure to provide adequate referencing will penalized. Further guidelines for the papers will be discussed and distributed in class.
Extra Credit. At the beginning of some classes, Dr. Anderson will distribute a short quiz with questions on the assigned readings for that class period. Students will answer the questions for possible extra credit points. Usually, the questions will be multiple choice items, but may also require short answers. Students will, therefore, be able to accrue extra credit points as long as they stay up to date on their assigned readings. This will also better prepare them for exams. There are no make-up provisions for extra credit. These are “extra” points not a formal part of your class evaluation.
General Guidelines. Concerning class lectures, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain lecture notes, handouts and assignments if he or she has missed class or does not understand something. The following also apply:
1. Students are required to take exams and turn in assignments on assigned dates. Acceptable excuses include: (1) a medical problem (a signed doctor’s excuse is required), (2) a court subpoena for the assigned date of the exam or assignment (please provide evidence), (3) a death in one’s immediate family (an obituary notice is required). Dr. Anderson does not grade on a curve.
2. Students are responsible for providing Dr. Anderson with accurate address, phone numbers, student numbers, and e-mail addresses during the first class. Communications will often be made by e-mail, so make sure you regularly check your e-mail.
3. Procedures for student complaints are located in the Department’s Office in Smith Hall. See Dr. Ronet Bachman. Students with disabilities should contact Dr. Anderson at the beginning of class to discuss any special arrangements required for course work.
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Class Schedule and Topics
Aug28- 30Drugs of Abuse(Alcohol, Marijuana, Heroin, Cocaine/Crack, Club Drugs, Methamphetamine, Oxycontin). What are they? Readings: Drug fact sheets on substances at Read the reports on cocaine, crack, heroin, marijuana, club drugs, and prescription drugs. Video: Substance Use and Abuse.
Sep 4, 6, 11History of Alcohol and Drugs in U.S.: Consumption and Policy. Reading: Anderson’s Chapter 2. Anderson's History of Drugs and Alcohol in the U.S. Video: Hooked: Illicit Drugs and How They Got That Way, VHS 7510.
Sep13Extent of Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Society. Readings: Drug fact sheets on substances at Read the reports on women, juveniles, and minorities.
Sep 18-20Explanations of Substance Abuse. Drugs, Brains and Behavior. NIDA website we’ll visit in class. Video: Addiction: HBO and NIDA. Readings: Brown, Chapters 1-11. Anderson’s Chapter 6. Anderson's Theory Chapter
Sep 25Exam #1.
Sep 27- Oct 2Alcohol, Drugs and Crime. Readings: Kelley, Articles 1 and 4, Brown, Chapters 12-20.
Oct 4Music Scenes, Drugs and Crime. Readings: Anderson’s NIJ Final Report.
Oct 9-11Women, Drugs and Crime and College Students, Alcohol and Crime..
Readings: Anderson 2005 Dimensions of Women's Power in the Illicit Drug Economy. Kelley, Article 9.
Oct 16-18Sex, Drugs and HIV. Readings: Kelley, Articles 10-11
Oct 23-25Families and Work. Readings: Brown, Chapters 21-35,
Robbins Family and Drugs Chapter Video: Addiction and the Family: Healing and Recovery.
Oct 30Exam #2.
Nov 1-6War on Drugs Interventions and Policies: Domestic. Readings: Kelley, Articles15, 17. Federal Govt webpages visited in class: and Drug Control Strategy 2007
Nov 8-13War on Drugs Interventions and Policies: International. Readings: Kelley, Article 25.
Nov 15, 20Alternatives to the War on Drugs: Drug Courts and Treatment. Readings: Kelley, Articles19-20, Brown, Chapters 41-46.
Nov 22Thanksgiving Break
Nov 27, 29Alternatives to the War on Drugs: Needle Exchange and Decriminalization
Dec 4Readings: Kelley, Articles21, 24. Brown, Chapter 46-50.
Dec 6Review Class and misc. business.
Dec 11Exam #3.
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