CriminologySOC 2230University of VirginiaFall 2015Robert Day McConnellRandall [email protected](434) 243-4045Office HoursTues. & Thurs.11:00AM - 12:00PM4:00 – 5:00PMOr by appointmentThere are different approaches to the subject of crime within criminology. Psychology looks into mental processes and sees criminal behavior as the expression of disordered mental states. The criminal appears then to be inherently different from other people. Criminology is also studied by law enforcement and with the aim of preventing more crime. This course presents a distinctively sociological perspective on crime. Sociology, like some other fields, attempts to explain crime, but sociological explanations are different. Sociological explanations of crime are found in the characteristics of society as a whole and in the experiences the criminal offender has had with other people. Forces within the socialworld are seen to be moving the person to commit criminal acts. The implication here is that the criminal offender is, in most respects, no different from other members of society. This view is in stark contrast to images in the media which portray “the criminal” as an alien kind of person. Students will find many of the social forces which cause crime to be quite familiar because they themselves are subject to some of the same influences as are active criminals. There are many different explanations or “theories” of crime, and this course is organized accordingly. Some theories explain the crime rates of entire societies or large segments of them. Other theories are smaller scale and follow the individual’s life-history to see what happened to make him an active criminal. All of the theories covered in2this course have wide currency within criminology, and each student will be challenged to decide for him- or herself which one gives the most plausible explanation of crime.3Required ReadingsStudents should read the texts assigned for each subject before lecture. The readings assigned for each date are listed in the course “Plan of Study” at the end of this syllabus. Ideally, after having heard the major ideas of the texts discussed in lecture, a student will again read at least portions of them for the added benefit of recognizing and understanding things that were not immediately understood in their first reading.Lanier, Mark M. and Stuart Henry. 2010. Essential Criminology. 3rd ed. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.Cullen, Francis T. and Robert Agnew. 2001. Criminological Theory: Past to Present, Essential Readings. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press.Wright, Richard T. and Scott Decker. 1994. Burglars on the Job: Streetlife and Residential Break-ins. Boston: Northeastern University Press.Simons, Ronald L., Leslie Gordon Simons and Lora Ebert Wallace. 2004. Families, Delinquency, and Crime: Linking Society’s Most Basic Institution to Antisocial Behavior. Los Angeles: Roxbury. Additional readings will be posted in folders for the topics on Collab.Slide PresentationsDuring lectures, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat slide presentations will be projected showing concepts, names, tables and data. These are available in folders under “Lectures” on Collab. It is recommended that students print out these overheads and take notes on them during lecture. The student can then concentrate on understanding these materials when they are explained and not be preoccupied with copying them. Having precise instructions on how to read tables and theoretical models will be crucial.ExamsThe dates for the exams and the subjects that each will cover are listed in the “Plan of Study” at the end of this syllabus.4The first part of each exam will consist of multiple-choice and true-false questions. The multiple-choice questions will be on concepts, names and major theoretical points. The true-false section of an exam will show the student’s ability to distinguish between correct and incorrect statements about crime and criminological theory. Very often, critical thinking is done in true-false terms as individuals simply evaluate the veracity of ideas and other information in light of facts they already know.Each exam will also include two questions on which students will write responses. The questions will ask the student to explain either parts of the material covered in the lectures or major ideas from the readings. Responses must be written in complete sentences with complete words. (Artificial contractions like b/c, w/o, and other “texting” language are absolutely unacceptable.) A complete written response will be one or two full paragraphs, and it will cover about a full page, depending on the size and style of a student’s handwriting. Outlines or notes submitted in place of complete sentences will be given minimal credit. A student must write his or her responses legibly for them to be properly graded.A solid written response will thoroughly explain all the key points which answer a question,and it will use all of the concepts associated with the question. A student must define all such concepts directly, or somehow demonstrate precise knowledge of the meaning of these concepts within their text. A response is to show the student’s level of understanding. It should not be written under the assumption that the reader already knows definitions and remaining ideas. On the grader’s part, it will not be assumed that the student knows these things if they are not presented in writing. The multiple-choice part of each exam will be weighted at 70% of the total exam score, and each of the essays will be worth 15% of the overall exam grade.If you believe you have a valid reason to be absent from a scheduled exam, you must discuss it with Mr. McConnell ahead of time. Members of University athletic teams will be excused for travel and games. Allowances may also be made for other school related events and for important job interviews. Either Mr. McConnell or Mr. Chen must be informed by email or by phone when a student is ill on the day of an exam and is unable to take it. The same must be done in the event of a family emergency or other such circumstances. Family vacations, trips and other kinds of recreational activities will generally not be taken as acceptable reasons for missing a scheduled exam. Students with valid reasons to not take anexam on its scheduled date will simply schedule to take it at a later time with Mr.