Criminology

Sociology 3000, Section 001

Fall Semester 2002

Syllabus

                                                                                      

 

Instructor:                                  Dennis Brewster

Office Location:                         7048 Haley Center

Office Telephone:                      (334) 844-2854

Office Hours:                             M-W-F: 3:30—4:45

                                                  T-R: 9:00—11:30

                                                  by appointment                                               

Messages:                                 brewsdr@auburn.edu

 

Course Information:                   Sociology 3000, Section 001

                                                  “Criminology”

                                                  Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

                                                  2:00—2:50

                                                  3195 Haley Center

 

Course Description:

 

Criminology is a course designed to provide the student the most current review of theories of crime.  Along with the theoretical look at crime, the theories will be placed in the world of crime today.  The course is designed to first introduce the student to the idea of crime and how crime is measured.  Following that, theories of crime will then be studied to see how crime is scientifically studied.  Most of our attention will be spent on sociological explanations of crime, but there are other explanations that will be explored, such as psychological and biological explanations of crime.

 

 

The course will be composed of three important sections:

 

I.                Understanding Criminology

II.              Explanations of Crime and Criminal Behavior (divided into 2 sections)

III.            Types of Crimes

 

 

Course Goals and Objectives:

The goals of the course are to make the student familiar with current definitions of crime, how it is measured, and the theories used to explain crime.  By the end of the course, the student should be able to:

 

·       Define criminology

·       Define crime.

·       Know how it is measured and the problems in measuring crime.

·       Understand the historical thoughts about crime.

·       Understand Psychological explanations of crime.

·       Understand Biological explanations of crime.

·       Understand Sociological explanations of crime.

·       Know the differences in types of crimes, such as violent, property, or corporate crime.

 

Required Text:

 

Adler, Freda, Gerhard Mueller, and William Laufer.  2001.  Criminology.  4th ed.

          McGraw Hill Publishers: New York, NY.

 

Course Requirements:

 

Class Attendance:

 

One of the key findings of educational research is the correlation between class attendance and grades.  I cannot stress enough the importance of class attendance; you cannot do well in this course (or any other) without attending class.  While no grade for attendance is given, quiz scores will allow me to know if you are attending class.  There are 14 quizzes that will be completed during the semester and you must be in class in order to the quiz points.  A further explanation of quizzes, their grading, and effects on grades are discussed below.

 

If you miss a class period that consisted of graded work (exam or quiz) you may make up the work only with written documentation of a university approved absence.  Examples of approved absences are an illness for which a doctor provides proof it exists and absences due to university sponsored events.  See “Tiger Cub” for university excused absences.

 

Tardiness will not be tolerated.  Please be on time for class.  When you come in late it disrupts the class.  If tardiness becomes a problem, I will not hesitate in talking with the student in order to solve the problem.  If you are not in class by the time quizzes are handed out, you will miss the quiz.  Do not come up after class and ask for a quiz.

 

Reading:

 

You will learn more and find the course more enjoyable if you do the assigned readings.  Among the many reasons I could provide for doing the reading, I will discuss the two most important.  First, students will be called upon to answer questions about the readings during class periods.  If you have not done the reading it will be hard to answer the questions.  Second, part of the class will be based on class discussion.  The readings will provide you, the student, necessary information to prepare for class discussions.

You will notice that each class period has a required reading for that class.  This is designed to keep the reading for any class period to a minimum.  If you will read these assignments in a timely fashion it will not be a burden.

 

The readings are tentatively listed in the “Semester Outline and Reading Assignments” section of the syllabus.  Any changes to the syllabus will be announced in class at least one week prior to the date of change and repeated as many times as is possible.

 

It is also very important that you bring your text to class for each class period.  Several times during the class period we will use the text in explaining concepts and ideas.  You will need the book in order to participate in the discussion.

 

Exams and Grading:

 

There will be a total of 4 exams for this course.  Each exam will consist of true/false, multiple-choice, matching, and essay questions and each exam will total 100 points.  Material covered on each of the tests will be covered in class or the assigned readings. If you miss a test you must make up the test within one week of the exam and furnish written documentation for your absence.  Excused absences will take an alternate version of the original exam.  All unexcused absences make-up exams will be all essay exams.

 

Also, there will be 14 quizzes during the course of the semester.  The quiz will consist of answering one question relevant to that day’s discussion.  You will receive 10pts. if you answer correctly and 5pts. if you answer incorrectly.  The quiz may take place on any day of the week (Monday, Wednesday, or Friday); therefore you should complete the reading for each class period prior to class.  I will count your ten highest quiz scores, for a total of 100 points, over the semester.  If you miss a quiz, you may only make it up with proper documentation for your absence and you will have to answer the quiz on your own.  If you come in after the quiz has been handed out you cannot make up the quiz.  NO MAKEUP QUIZZES WILL BE GIVEN WITHOUT WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION OR IF YOU ARE LATE!

 

There will be four outside writing assignments during the course of the semester.  The instructions of the reading assignments will be handed out prior to the due date of the assignment.  Each assignment will be worth 25 points for a total of 100 points.  Each assignment will require answers to specific questions about criminological articles and each set of articles will follow the section of the course we are in at that time.  There will be a stiff penalty for late writing assignments, so make sure you hand the assignment in on time.

 

Exam dates are listed in the “Semester Outline and Reading Assignments” section of the syllabus.  Any change in the exam dates will be announced in class at least one week prior to the change and will be announced at least twice in class.

 

Grading:

 

I will use the following grading scale for this class.  The total points for the course will be 600 points (4 exams X 100 pts. each + 10 quiz assignments worth 10 pts. each + 4 writing assignments).

 

A        (90% - 100%)   =  540—600

B        (80% -   89%)   =  480—539

C        (70% -   79%)   =  420—479

D        (60% -   69%)   =  360—419

F        (  0% -   59%)   =     0—359

 

Electronic Devices: 

 

Pagers and telephones going off during the class period are very disruptive.  Please turn off all phones and pagers during the class.  If interruptions become a problem, the student will be asked to leave the class and will not be allowed to return until we have met about the problem.

 

Academic Misconduct:

 

I will not tolerate any academic misconduct in this class.  I do not expect any problems with cheating, but if you are caught cheating in this class, I will pursue the appropriate disciplinary action as outlined in the Academic Misconduct Code as set out in the “Tiger Cub.”

 

Disability Accommodations:

 

Students who need accommodations are asked to arrange a meeting during my office hours the first week of class, or as soon as possible if accommodations are needed.  If you have a conflict during my office hours, an alternative time can be arranged.  To set up this meeting, please contact me by phone or via e-mail.  Bring a copy of your Accommodation Memo and an Instructor Verification Form to the meeting.  If you do not have an Accommodation Memo but need assistance, make an appointment with The Program for Students with Disabilities, 1244 Haley Center, 844-2096 (V/TT).  I will be happy to assist in your educational endeavor in any ethical and academic way.

 

Copyright:

 

ãCopyright 2002, Dennis R. Brewster, as to the syllabus, web material, and all lectures.  Students are prohibited from providing, either for a fee or for free, notes or exams of this course to any person or commercial firm, without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course.

 

The above policies in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances and at the discretion of the instructor.