SOCY 4014-003
Criminology
Fall 2012
Instructor: Shelby A. McKinzey
Meeting times & location: Tuesdays & Thursdays Hellems 141 2:00-3:15
Email: mckinzey@colorado.edu (best way to contact me)
Office: Ketchum 35
Office hours: Wednesdays 9:00-11:00 and by appointment
Course Description: This course analyzes the scientific study of criminal behavior. We
will examine various crimes to understand why individuals commit acts deemed criminal
by society and the government. The focus of the course will be on sociological
explanations of crime, with some examination of biological and psychological theories.
Special attention will also be given to contemporary interpretations of traditional crime
causation theories, and to critical, feminist, and progressive race theories on criminality.
In studying sociological theories of criminal behavior, we will examine associated social
policy implications in the criminal justice system.
My hope is that you will the course able to….
 Understand arguments for why individuals commit acts labeled criminal
 Know what empirical studies of various theories have shown about the validity
and applicability of various theories
 Be able to critically read academic articles examining criminological theories and
their implications
 Be able to apply theories to descriptions of real-world situations
 Identify the interactions between the punishment system and criminology theory
in the United States and other major aspects of U.S. society (race, the economy,
politics, etc.)
 Analyze how theory does (or does not) inform criminal justice policy
 Think about how assumptions about crime and criminals have affected your life
experiences, and how your life experiences affect your assumptions
 Become more aware of how our punishment system affects all of society and
imagine active ways to change the system
COURSE READINGS: There are no textbooks for this course. All readings can found
on the course website (at learn.colorado.edu). Readings should be completed by the day
they are listed on the course schedule. Most of the readings are academic articles from
various scholarly journals. If you have not read many academic articles before, these
readings may be difficult for you. I have posted a guide on how to read academic articles
under the “Handouts” section on desire to learn. I encourage you to read this handout. If
you are worried that you do not fully comprehend these readings please come speak to
me as soon as possible.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
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Participation/Group Work (50 Points) – Early in the semester, you will be put into
groups of fives. You will work with the same students throughout the semester. These
students will be a key resource for you learning material and doing well in the class so
you should get to know each other. Every day you will sit by your group members.
Periodically, I will assign homework for you to complete individually before the next
class period That completed homework will be your ticket to earn your participation
points for that day. You will not be allowed to participate in your group’s work if
you do not bring the completed homework. During the group discussion time, your
group will complete one report that summarizes your group’s discussion and thoughts.
You will also turn in your individually completed worksheets. Some of these group
activities will be designed to help you prepare for your for exams and assignments.
Please save the graded reports after I return them to you. You will be required to turn
these in with your final report. When grading your group reports, I will look for evidence
that you incorporated everyone’s viewpoints into your discussion. You are not required
to meet with your groups outside of class. However, I strongly encourage you to do
so. Meeting to review notes and readings as a group is an excellent way to prepare
for exams.
Learning Logs (4@25 points=100 points) – The learning log encourages you to explore
your understanding of sociological concepts through reflection and small data collection
and analysis assignments. Each entry will be in response to a prompt I post weekly on
the course website. Entries may be handwritten or typed and should be in a binder,
folder, or notebook. Each Thursday, I will randomly collect learning logs from different
groups. Your learning logs will be collected four times throughout the semester. You are
expected to complete the assignments for each week, not just the weeks your groups’ logs
are collected. Every group will turn in their learning logs on the final collection day.
Individual entries will be graded on a twenty-five point grading scale. Entries are graded
using the following criteria: (1) their completeness (meaning all questions for a particular
entry are addressed); (2) the level of insight and reflection (evidence of thoughtful
responses); (3) the support provided for the observations and conclusions; and (4) the
extent to which course content (from the class and the text) is incorporated into entries.
The final day of journal collection will be Thursday, December 6.
Exams (Midterm =100 points, Final=150 points) - Each exam will consist of five
identifications and two essays. The identifications will ask you to briefly define and
explain a key concept from the course. Approximately one week before the exam, I will
distribute a review sheet that contains all possible identifications and all possible essay
questions. The midterm will take place during class time on Thursday, October 4. The
final exam will take place Saturday, December 15 4:30-7:00.
Theory Applications (2@50 points=100 points) – You will be required to write two
short papers applying theory to accounts of real-world events. The first will involve
applying theory to an account that I provide for you. The second will involve applying
theory to accounts of crimes found in popular media. Full details about this assignment
can be found in the document “Theory Application Assignment” in the handouts folder
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on the course website. You can do these assignments at any point in the semester but
both must be turned in by Thursday, November 15.
Short Paper (100 points): You will write a short paper examining the interaction
between theory and the criminal justice system. This paper will involve looking at one
specific crime, what theories justify the current punishments, and what theories you think
should guide punishment. I will provide a handout detailing this assignment a few weeks
before it is due. The paper is due by the final Tuesday of the semester, December 11.
If you are particularly concerned about your grade in this class for any reason (athletics,
scholarships, academic probation, etc.), I STRONGLY advise that you schedule an
appointment to talk with me towards the middle of the semester so that we can touch base
about your grades thus far and talk about strategies for improving your performance if
you are not doing as well as you need to be. Please don’t wait until the end of the
semester when it will be too late for me to work with you on improving your performance.
Grading and Evaluation: Your final course grade will be calculated based on the
following:
Participation/Group Work
50 points
Theory Applications 2@50
100 points
Paper
100 points
Midterm
100 points
Final
150 points
----------------------------------------------------------Total
600 points
Grades will be assigned based on the following point systems:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
559-600
540-558
522-539
498-521
480-497
462-479
438-461
420-437
402-419
378-401
360-377
359 or less
COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND POLICIES:
Classroom etiquette: Please refrain from engaging in conversations with your
neighbors during class, as this can be quite disruptive to those around you. You may use
a laptop only for notetaking, unless you specifically ask otherwise (e.g., if there is a
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question in the class and you want to google to find the answer, raise your hand for
permission to do so). Remember that if you are doing non-class activities, it is disruptive
to students around you, and know that in a class this small, I will be able to tell if you are
doing other things. After one warning, you will lose your general participation points and
the privilege of using your laptop. Please don’t make me enforce this policy. Please
remember to turn off your cell phones before class begins.
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning
environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to
discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to
individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, color, culture, religion, creed,
politics, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender
expression, age, disability, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor
with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an
alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the
semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my record.
Email policy: If you contact me via email, please put “4014” in the subject line so
that I can identify student emails and respond to them in a timely manner. If you do
not use this subject line, I cannot guarantee a response to your email. Please note that
university policy prohibits the discussion of student grades via email, so please do not
email me with questions about your grade. This policy is intended to protect you; your
grade is a private matter, and email is a public forum. The first place to go if you have
questions about your grade in the course is to CULearn—I will post all of your grades
there so that you have an easy way to keep track of your progress in the course. If you
wish to discuss your grade, please come to office hours or make an appointment.
Academic Dishonesty: Cheating and plagiarism are both violations of the student code
and will be treated with utmost seriousness. Evidence of either of these behaviors will
result in an automatic failure in the course and the matter will be turned over to university
officials. To be clear, plagiarism refers to using the work, ideas, or knowledge of other
people as your own. It includes all forms of exam or quiz cheating, using other people’s
work, copying all or sections of papers from the web, and “borrowing” (without citing)
from published sources. Please do not give me ANY reason to suspect this type of
behavior. If you are unclear about the rules regarding plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting,
or collaboration, please consult me. You are also required to adhere to the University
Honor Code which you can find at http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/.
Special Needs: If you qualify for accommodations due to disability please let me know
during the first two weeks of the semester. It is your responsibility to contact Disability
Services and obtain documentation. The Disability Services Office is in Willard 322 and
can be contacted at (303) 492-8671 or through
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices.
Discrimination and Harassment: The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on
Discrimination, the policy on Sexual Harassment and the policy on Amorous
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Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty
member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based
upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or
veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH,
the above referenced policies and the campus resources available to assist individuals
regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at
http://www.colorado.edu/odh.
FINAL NOTE: I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus throughout the
semester if necessary.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Week One: Introduction to Criminology
August 28
No Reading
August 30
Bohm, Robert. 1986. “Crime, Criminal and Crime
Control Policy Myths.” Justice Quarterly. 3:193-214.
Week Two: Introduction to Criminology and Biological/Psychological Theories
September 4
Uggen, Christopher and Michelle Inderbitzin. 2010.“Public
Criminologies.” Criminology and Public Policy:
9:725-749.
September 6
Rafter, Nicole and Michelle Brown. 2011. Criminology
Goes to the Movies. New York, NY: New York University
Press. Chapter 3 “He’s Alive!”: Biological Theories and
Frankenstein
(Note on readings from Criminology Goes to the Movies– both of these readings
discuss famous films – Frankenstein (1931) and Psycho (1960). If you have not seen
these movies, I highly suggest you watch them. If you have trouble gaining access to
the movies please let me know and I can help you.)
Week Three: Biological/Psychological Theories and Rational Choice/Deterrence
September 11
Rafter, Nicole and Michelle Brown. 2011. Criminology
Goes to the Movies. New York, NY: New York University
Press. “Blood, Mother, Blood!”: Psychological Theories
and Psycho
September 13
Sherman, Lawrence W., Douglas A. Smith, Janell D.
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Schmidt, and Dennis P. Rogan. 1992. “Crime,
Punishment, and Stake in Conformity: Legal and
Informal Control of Domestic Violence.” American
Sociological Review. 57:680-690.
Week Four: Rational Choice/Deterrence and Anomie/Strain
September 18
Harris, Alexes, Heather Evans, and Katherine Beckett.
2010. “Drawing Blood From Stones: Legal Debt and
Social Inequality in the Contemporary United States.”
American Journal of Sociology. 115:1753-1799.
September 20
Agnew, Robert. 2001. “Building on the Foundation of
General Strain Theory: Specifying the Types of Strain
Most Likely to Lead to Crime and Delinquency.”
38:319-361.
Week Five: Anomie/Strain and Social Disorganization
September 25
Broidy, Lisa and Robert Agnew. 1997. “Gender and
Crime: A General Strain Theory Perspective.” Journal
Of Research in Crime and Delinquency. 34: 275-306.
September 27
Pattillo, Mary E. 1998. “Sweet Mothers and
Gangbangers: Managing Crime in a Black MiddleClass Neighborhood.” Social Forces. 76:747-74.
Week Six: Social Disorganization
October 2
No reading
October 4
Midterm Exam
Week Seven: Control Theories
October 9
Sykes, Gresham M. and David Matza. 1957. “Techniques
of Neutralization: A Theory of Delinquency.” American
Sociological Review.. 22:664-670.
October 11
Edin, Kathryn, Timothy J. Nelson, and Rechelle Paranal.
2004. “Fatherhood and Incarceration as Potential
Turning Points in the Criminal Careers of Unskilled
Men.” Pp. 46-75 in Imprisoning America: The Social
Effects of Mass Incarceration, edited by Mary Pattillo,
David Weiman, and Bruce Western. New York, NY: Sage
Publications.
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Week Eight: Conflict Theories
October 16
Reiman, Jeffrey and Paul Leighton. 2010. The Rich Get
Richer and the Poor Get Prison. Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon. Crime Control in America.
October 18
Reiman, Jeffrey and Paul Leighton. 2010. The Rich Get
Richer and the Poor Get Prison. Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon. A Crime By Any Other Name….
Week Nine: Learning Theories
October 23
Becker, Howard S. 1953. “Becoming a Marihuana User.”
American Journal of Sociology. 59:235-242.
October 25
Woflgang, Marvin E. and Franco Ferracuti. 2006. “The
Thesis of a Subculture of Violence.” Pp. 147-150 in
Criminological Theory: Past to Presented, edited by
Francis T. Cullen and Robert Agnew. New York, NY:
Oxford University Press
Week Ten: Labeling Theory
October 30
Becker, Howard S. 1997. Outsiders: Studies in the
Sociology of Deviance. New York, NY: Free Press.
Labeling Theory Reconsidered
November 1
Pager, Devah. 2003. “The Mark of a Criminal Record.”
American Journal of Sociology. 5:937-975.
Week Eleven: Gendered Theories
November 6
Chesney-Lind, Meda. 1989. “Girls’ Crime and Woman’s
Place: Toward a Feminist Model of Female
Delinquency.” Crime & Delinquency. 35:5-29.
November 8
Chensey-Lind, Meda. 2006. “Patriarchy, Crime, and
Justice: Feminist Criminology in an Era of Backlash.”
Feminist Criminology. 1:6-26
Week Twelve: Gendered Theories and Radical Theories
November 13
Burgess-Proctor, Amanda. 2006. “Intersections of Race,
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Class, Gender, and Crime: Future Directions for
Feminist Criminology.” Feminist Criminology. 1:27-47.
November 15
Goffman, Alice. 2009. “On the Run: Wanted Men in a
Philadelphia Ghetto.” American Sociological Review: 74:
339-357.
Two theory applications due by November 15
Week Thirteen: Radical Theory and Criminal Justice and Current Issues
November 27
Wozniak, John F. 2002. “Toward a Theoretical Model
of Peace-Making Criminology: An Essay in Honor of
Richard Quinney.” Crime & Delinquency. 48:204-231.
November 29
Beckett, Katherine and Steve Herbert. 2010. “Penal
Boundaries: Banishment and the Expansion of
Punishment.” Law and Social Inquiry. 1:1-38.
Week Fourteen: Criminal Justice and Current Issues
December 4
Carr, Patrick J., Laura Napolitano, and Jessica Keating.
2007. “We Never Call the Cops and Here is Why: A
Qualitative Examination of Legal Cynicism in Three
Philadelphia Neighborhoods.” Criminology. 45:445-480.
December 6
The Sentencing Project. 2012. “To Build a Better Criminal
Justice System: 25 Experts Envision the Next 25 Years of
Reform.”
-Marc Mauer “Introduction”
-Jeremey Travis “Harnessing Science and Passion
to Create a More Effective and Human Response
to Crime”
-Jamie Fellner “The Human Rights Paradigm:
The Foundation for a Criminal Justice System
We Can Be Proud Of”
-Dennis Schrantz “The Justice System in 2036:
How States Ended the Era of Mass
Incarceration”
-Leonard E. Noisette “Resetting Our Moral
Compass: Devastated Communities Leading the
Fight For a Just System”
Week Fifteen: Criminal Justice and Current Issues
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December 11
The Sentencing Project. 2012. “To Build a Better Criminal
Justice System: 25 Experts Envision the Next 25 Years of
Reform.”
-Robert D. Crutchfield “How to Stimulate a Frank
National Conversation About Race”
-Susan B. Tucker “The Elephant in the Room:
The Necessity of Race and Class Consciousness”
-Angela Y. Davis “Attica Futures: 21st Century
Strategies for Prison Abolition”
-Charles J. Hynes “A Crucial Role for Prosecutors
In Reducing Recidivism”
Paper due by December 11
December 13
The Sentencing Project. 2012. “To Build a Better Criminal
Justice System: 25 Experts Envision the Next 25 Years of
Reform.”
-Meda Chesney-Lind “Remember the Ladies: The
Problem With Gender-Neutral Reform”
-Seema Gajwani Retire the Leeches: The Promise
Of Evidence-Based Solutions”
-James Bell “Addicted No Longer: Breaking
Away From Incarceration as a Primary
Instrument of Social Control”
-Paul Butler “Prisons That Look Like America:
Applying the Principles of Affirmative Action to
the Criminal Justice System”
- Randolph Stone “Defending the Future: The
Fundamental Right to Effective Defense
Counsel”
Final Exam: Saturday December 15 4:30-7:00 PM
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