SOC 10 - Introduction to Crime and Society

Transfer Status

CSU/UC

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course is a sociological analysis of crime, criminal behavior, and the criminal justice system. The history and social construction of crime and criminality are examined. The definition of crime and its violations as well as the laws and methods used to control criminal behavior are examined. The measurement of crime and basic theoretical explanations of criminal behavior are included. (C-ID SOCI 160).

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Define the major concepts in criminology.
2. Define the concepts of social folkways, norms, mores, and crimes and explain why they exist in all cultures as a way to maintain social control.
3. Compare and contrast the sociological theories used to explain crime and criminal behavior.
4. Describe examples that illustrate the major criminology theories.
5. Compare and contrast the principles, procedures, and methods used by sociologists in the collection of crime-related data.
6. Analyze criminal patterns and trends.
7. Analyze society's means and methods of addressing criminal behavior.
8. Analyze crime rates and variations of criminality as they exist historically and cross-culturally and propose explanations for these variations.
9. Examine the role of the police, courts, and corrections as a means to enforce, sanction, and punish criminal acts.
10. Analyze the legal and criminal justice system as a social institution.
11. Define and identify the types of crime and the people who commit them.
12. Differentiate between actual crime and perceptions of crime.
13. Analyze how race, gender, sexual orientation, age and class affect arrest, charging, and sentencing.
14. Assess various types of intervention and prevention programs developed to reduce criminal behavior.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Collaborative Group Work
2. Discussion
3. Guest Speakers
4. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
5. Lecture
6. Problem-Solving Sessions
7. Reading Assignments

1. Exams/Tests
2. Oral Presentation
3. Homework
4. Essays and research papers

Reading Assignments

1. Read about 'White-Collar' Crimes. Be prepared to discuss the various implications and effects these crimes have on society in class.
2. Read about a real crime, either a personal crime or property crime. Then using the profile matrix discussed in class prepare your own profile of the victim and perpetrator. Be prepared to share your findings with the class.

Writing Assignments

1. Statistical Analysis plays an important role in fighting crime. Identify a crime issue and develop an instrument to measure the crimes effect on policing, courts jails and prison. Be prepared to present your findings to the class.
2. Research a specific crime, either personal or property. Research paper must include the general profile about the specific crime, the victim and the perpetrator and must be 5-7 pages including abridged bibliography and works cited.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Attend a court proceeding of your choice and present a written account of what you witnessed.
2. Watch the two provided videos on race and police profiling. Determine the difference between the outcomes of each video relative to the detainees’ understanding of the law. Write a report on your findings and be prepared to discuss them in class.

Curran and Renzetti. (2001). Theories of Crime. Pearson, 2nd. 9780205275885.

Barkan, Steven E. (2022). Criminology: A Sociological Understanding. Pearson, 6th. 9780137636181.

Jeffrey Reiman, Paul Leighton. (2023). The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison. Routledge, 13th. 9781032437521.

CJ Collective, Lynn Jones. (2018). Investing Difference: Human and Cultural Relations in Criminal Justice. Pearson, 3rd. 9780133012309.

Bradley R.E. Wright, Jr. Ralph B. McNeal. (2013). Boundaries: Readings in Deviance, Crime and Criminal Justice. Pearson Learning Solutions, 1st. ‎ 978-1256602705.

Sociology (Masters Required)