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CJ 404/504: Theoretical Criminology

Sections 101, 102, & 103

Fall 2011

Dr. Kimberly DeTardo-Bora

Office: Smith Hall 734

Office Phone: 304.696.3084

Fax: 304.696.3085

Email:

Web:

Office Hours: Mondays 12-2:00, Tuesdays 9:30-12:30, & Wednesdays 1-4:00 (or by appointment)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

A critical analysis of major criminological theories and their empirical foundations. Current theory and research receive greater emphasis than historical development. Capstone experience.

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Writing Intensive
  • CJ 404/504, sections 101 and 102 convenes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11-11:50 in Smith Hall 418
  • CJ 404/504, section 103 convenes on Wednesdays from 4:00-6:20 in Smith Hall 418

COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS

Students must have a computer or access to one, as well as access to the Internet to send and receive email messages. If you are using an email account other than your Marshall email account, (i.e., hotmail, yahoo, aol, etc.) you must set your Marshall email account to forward to your other account. In addition, students are required to have access to WebCT in order to complete the necessary quizzes and assignments in this course. Make certain that you use a computer that is compatible for completing any online course requirements. Moreover, all students are responsible for knowing the University Computing Services’ Acceptable Use Policy.

REQUIRED TEXTS

American Psychological Association [APA] (2010). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC. (*Required for both undergraduate and

graduate students.)

Brown, S. E., Esbensen, F., & Geis, G. (2010). Criminology: Explaining crime and its contexts. (7th

ed.). New Providence, NJ: Lexis Nexis. (*Required for both undergraduate and graduate students.)

*Additional readings may be assigned and placed on reserve at the library or online.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE & CRIMINOLOGY PROGRAM

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice, and in part emphasized and reinforced through this course,undergraduate students will demonstrate:

  1. knowledge of criminological theory and its role in the analysis of adult and juvenile delinquent and criminal behavior and in the practice of justice, including the role of theory in the practice of law enforcement, the practice of law, adjudication, and sentencing, and in the practice of corrections.
  2. knowledge of research methods and the relationship of research to the practice of law enforcement, law, and corrections in both the adult and juvenile systems.
  3. skills in critical thinking related to the theory and practice of law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
  4. skills in written communication.
  5. skills in obtaining, understanding, critically evaluating, and applying information from scholarly research as it relates to material presented in the classroom.

Upon completion of the Master of Science degree in criminal justice, and in part emphasized and reinforced through this course, graduate students willbe able to:

  1. identify and explain various criminological theories and to identify associated theorist(s).
  2. demonstrate advanced critical thinking skills by 1) evaluating, comparing, and contrastingvarious criminological theories and applying various criminological theories to criminal and delinquent behaviors.
  3. demonstrate written communication skills by developing and submitting written products in various classes.
  4. demonstrate advanced research skills by 1) finding, critically evaluating, summarizing, and using information from scholarly literature to support an argument or program or policy proposal; 2) properly constructing written work in APA format, using APA style.
  5. identify, describe, and explain complex relationships among social problems, human interactions, and the criminal justice system.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR THIS COURSE

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. articulate principles and concepts of various criminological perspectives, which include deterrence, rational choice, biological, psychological, social learning, social control, conflict, labeling, social disorganization, anomie, strain, critical, postmodern, feminist, and integrated theories.
  2. develop basic scientific inquiry skills, particularly the link between theory, research, and policy implications.
  3. examine the utility of criminological theory by applying it to a crime, criminal behavior, or criminal justice agency.
  4. develop an advanced knowledge base of criminological theories through various forms of writing, both informal and formal.
  5. develop and enhance critical thinking skills through various forms of writing, both informal and formal.
  6. conduct research using the library databases and to summarize refereed journal articles about crime/criminal behavior and theoretical explanations for crime.
  7. develop and enhance professional writing skills and to use effectively the APA publication guidelines by completing a scholarly paper(s).

OUTLINE OF THEORETICAL COURSE CONTENT

The theoretical content of the course is divided into four parts.

Part I“Introduction to Theory and Theory Evaluation” (5%)

The first part of the course is based largely on learning the basic elements of theory and the necessary criteria used in theory evaluation. We will discuss theoretical and conceptual issues as they relate to research methods and policy implications as well.

Part II“Rational Thinkers, Biological Bad Boys, & Criminological Minds” (25%)

The first group of theories will allow you to trace the thinking of social scientists and their understanding of crime from the 1700s to the present day. During this portion of the semester you will be introduced to deterrence, rational choice, biological, and psychological theories.

Part III “Social Learning, Failed Socialization, & Social Ecology Theories” (45%)

This part of the course provides each student with the information about how crime is learned, the impact of socialization, and labeling. You will learn that crime can be explained from an ecological perspective and that society can be associated with crime rates.

Part IV“The Influence of Capitalism, Postmodern, and Integrated Theories” (25%)

The final section of the class consists of a discussion about how crime is related to capitalism and the influence of Marxist theory. Moreover, you will learn about feminist and peacemaking theories in addition to theory integration.

ASSESSMENT MEASURES AND DETERMINATION OF GRADES

Each student learning outcome is assessed in the following manner:

3 Exams (45%)The grading scale is as follows:

Informal Writing Assignments & Quizzes (25%) 100%-90%= A69%-60% = D

Formal Writing (30%)89%-80% = BBelow 60% = F

79%-70% = C

EXAMS (45%)

There are three exams; each is worth 15%. The final exam is non-comprehensive. All exams may consist of a variety of response formats such as, multiple choice, true/false, matching, listing, short answer, essay and/or any combination of the above. Graduate exams will include an essay question(s).

Exam & Make-up Exam Policy:

Examinations must be taken during the periods designated in the syllabus. If a student arrives after another student has completed the exam, the student who was late will not be allowed to take the examination, because the exam has been compromised. In other words, the student cannot take the exam or make up the exam; the student will receive a grade of zero for the examination. Deviations from this policy are possible if the student makes provisions with the instructor before the test date.

Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to notify me if he/she is unable to take an examination.If I am not contacted prior to the exam or if you do not show up to take the exam, you will receive a failing grade for the exam. For those students who contact me at least 24 hours in advance and have a legitimate excuse from the Dean of Student Affairs (see Attendance Policy), an alternative time to take the exam will be determined. The format of the make-up exam will be left to my discretion.

INFORMAL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS & QUIZZES (25%)

Several informal writing assignments will be completed throughout the course in order to build your paper(s). These assignments will strengthen your understanding of the writing process [and criminological theory] as well as how to use proper citations based on the APA publication manual. Assignments may be both in-class and out-of-class. Unless told otherwise, papers must be typed and double-spaced. Page numbers are a must! Standard margins and fonts should be used.Late assignments will not be accepted.

Mandatory Writing Center Sessions:

Students are required to visit the Writing Center for a minimum of two, 30-minute sessions. You may go on more than two occasions if you would prefer. Note that you will receive credit for each visit. That is, you will receive 50 points for attending each session. To make an appointment, please visit the Writing Center’s appointment page at Your first session should occur on any date from September 19 through October14 (weeks6, 7, or 8). At this appointment you should be working on or have a working draft of your introduction, a description of the crime, and a description of the theory. For the second session, which can take place from October 17 through November4 (weeks 9, 10, or 11), you will be strengthening the draft to create a more polished and final paper. Here, you will be putting on the finishing touches and writing and revising the conclusion. At the end of each 30-minute session, you will need to obtain a “Session Report” from your tutor, which must be submitted with your work as proof of your visit (October 19 and then again on November 9).

The Writing Center is a privilege and a student-friendly service that is provided to you. Please do not takeyour frustration out on the Writing Center staff. Be aware that the tutors will not write or fix your paper for you. I advise that you bring your references, the directions, your draft(s), and any other documents that will be helpful during your scheduled appointment. Also, the tutors are not obligated to review APA citation style as meticulously as I would. For help with APA citations and referencing, the criminal justice graduate assistants will be able to assist you in SH 423 (keep an eye out for the signup sheets on the library door).

FORMAL WRITING (30%)

Undergraduate students who are interested in law school, graduate school, administrative work, or research in the profession are encouraged to choose Option A for their formal writing assignment. Students who seek employment in the field (i.e., law enforcement, corrections, probation, juveniles services, etc.) immediately following graduation are encouraged to choose Option B. However, the decision is ultimately to the student’s discretion. Graduate students are required to submit a fifteen page paper (introduction through conclusion), in which case, Option A will be followed but with a few modifications. *Important-Once you make your decision, it is FINAL!

Option A: Undergraduate students who select this option will submit ONE term paper, ten full pages in length (introduction through conclusion).

Option B: Undergraduate students who select this option will submit TWO papers; each will be five pages in length (introduction through conclusion).

ADDITIONAL GRADUATE STUDENT WRITING REQUIREMENTS

Graduate students are expected to summarize five different chapters from the textbook (Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9). In essence, you will complete what is called a “double entry” journal. The journal does not have to be typed, but it must be legible (if you prefer to type your journal it must be formatted into two columns). The journal will take the following format: The left-hand side of the journal will contain notes about what you read (i.e., the chapter). That is, this part will chronicle the main ideas from the chapter. The second part of the journal will document what you thought about the chapter or “on the [right]-hand side, students are to create an interactive commentary on the material-posing questions, raising doubts, making connections, seeing opposing views, linking course materials with personal experience, expressing confusion, and so forth”(Bean, 2001, p. 108). These journals must be submitted at the beginning of class before the theoretical perspective has been covered, and then swapped with another graduate peer for comments (I suggest that the reviewer uses a different color pen when writing additional comments). Journals should be submitted that following class period after the reviewer has had a choice to read through it and make additional comments. Each journal is worth 10 points each (5 assignments x 10 points = 50 points total). The journals also will be a part of the informal writing assignments grade (worth 25% of your final grade).

ADDITIONAL POLICIES

Emails and Teacher-Student Correspondence:

If you have any questions about the course material, exams, or assignments you may email me, visit me during my office hours, or schedule an appointment. If you email me, under most circumstances, I will get back to you within 24 hours. However, there may be times when I am out of the office (for meetings, class, or conferences), hence, delaying my response.

Attendance:

Students are expected to attend class and participate regularly. I understand that there are circumstances that may arise throughout the semester that prevent a student from attending class. Documentation of an excused absence can be obtained from the Dean of Student Affairs, MSC 2W38. Excused absences include: death or illness of an immediate family member, pre-approved university sponsored activity, athletics, academic activities, short-term military obligation, jury duty/court appointment, and/or religious holiday (see MU Undergraduate Catalog). Nonetheless, if you miss classit is your responsibility as a student to obtain any lecture notes or assignments that you missed on that day.

Academic Dishonesty:

Academic Dishonesty includes cheating, fabrication and falsification of data or information, plagiarism, bribes/favors/threats, and complicity (i.e., helping or attempting someone commit an act of dishonesty). As stated in the policy, “A student, by voluntarily accepting admission to the institution or enrolling in a class or course of study offered by Marshall University accepts the academic requirements and criteria of the institution. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of policies regulating academic conduct, including the definitions of academic dishonesty, the possible sanctions and the appeal process. For the purposes of this policy, an academic exercise is defined as any assignment, whether graded or ungraded, that is given in an academic course or must be completed toward the completion of degree or certification requirements. This includes, but is not limited to: Exams, quizzes, papers, oral presentations, data gathering and analysis, practica and creative work of any kind” (MU Undergraduate Catalog). If a student violates this policy, discretion will be used by the instructor; the possible sanction to be applied will be a failing grade for the assignment, exam, or paper. For those of you, who need a reminder about the policy, please refer to the MU Undergraduate Catalog.

Plagiarism:

Turnitin.com is used in this course in order to assess and identify plagiarism in each student’s paper. For students (major or non-majors; undergraduates and graduates) who plagiarize a paper that is less than 10 pages in length, a letter grade of zero will be issued for that assignment. When a student plagiarizes a major research paper, report, legal paper, etc., that is 10 pages or more in length, a failing grade will be issued to the student for the course. It should be noted that students are entitled to an appeals process. The protocol for doing so is described under the heading “Academic Dishonesty Policy” and the subheading “Appeals Process” in the MU Undergraduate Catalog.

Extra Credit:

There is one opportunity to receive extra credit in this course. That is, students who selected “Option A” may present their paper at the WVCJEA conference on Friday, November 4 at Wheeling Jesuit Universityand earn up to 10 points added to their final course grade. Students who chose “Option B” may form a “panel” of student presenters about the various criminal justice agencies and can also earn up to 10 points added to their final course grade. In addition, students who simply attend the conference may earn up to 5 points which will be added to their lowest exam score. Abstracts for presentations and papers for the state competition are due Friday, October 21.

Policy for Students with Disabilities:

Marshall University is committed to equal opportunity in education for all students, including those with physical, learning and psychological disabilities.University policy states that it is the responsibility of students with disabilities to contact the Office of Disabled Student Services (DSS) in Prichard Hall 117, phone 304-696-2271 to provide documentation of their disability. Following this, the DSS Coordinator will send a letter to each of the student’s instructors outlining the academic accommodation he/she will need to ensure equality in classroom experiences, outside assignment, testing and grading. The instructor and student will meet to discuss how the accommodation(s) requested will be provided. For more information, please visit or contact Disabled Student Services Office at Prichard Hall 11, phone 304-696-2271.

Affirmative Action Policy:

This course will follow Marshall University’s policy on Affirmative Action, which can be found in the MU Undergraduate Catalog and MU Graduate Catalog. Specifically, all students will be afforded equal opportunity without regard to race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin, or sexual orientation.

Inclement Weather Policy:

Students can find information concerning Marshall’s policy regarding inclement weather on the university website and in the MU Undergraduate Catalog.Please note that a two-hour delay means that classes that begin at 10:00 a.m. begin on time. Classes that begin at 9:30 a.m. meet at 10:00 a.m. and continue for the remaining period of that class.

Classroom Civility:

  1. All students are expected to be in class on time (including exam days).
  2. All pagers, cell phones, electronic games, radios, tape or CD players, or other

electronic devices such as IPods or MP3 players must be turned off before you enter the classroom.

2a. This also means no text messaging or tweeting during class or during exams.

  1. Individual conversations are not permitted.
  2. Any questions that pertain to the syllabus, assignments, or grades should be asked

before or after the lecture/discussion begins. Questions asked during the lecture