CJ 3400 -- Theories of Crime
Dr. Matt Robinson

Summer 2009
 

Click here for syllabus (MS Word format)

Note: The syllabus is a contract between you (the student) and me (the instructor).  By staying in the class, you agree to abide by all the policies of the course.
 
 
 
 



Notes...

Class 1, July 7, 2008:

Introductions/ Syllabus / Class Review

* Legal definition of crime versus natural definition of crime (Power Point file)

* "Street" crime versus corporate and white-collar crime (Power Point file)

Class 2, July 8, 2009:

No class (illness)

Assignment 1 (due July 9, 2009)

Answer all the questions at the end of chapter 1 of your textbook, Why Crime? USE YOUR OWN WORDS and TYPE THESE UP. Notes related to this material:

* Why it matters to study white-collar deviance (Power Point file)

* The facts about crime (and other facts of crime) (Power Point file)

Class 3, July 9, 2009:

PART TWO: WAYS OF KNOWING: THEORY VERSUS PHILOSOPHY  (Chapter 2)

* What is theory and what is it for? (and an example of a theory of crime: Hirschi's social bonding theory) (Power Point file)

* Bonus topic: The theory of the "shitty beer" (see notes from blackboard)

*   What is philosophy and what are its limitations?, AND Do people have free will? (Power Point file)

Class 4, July 13, 2009:

* An example of how to use theory: What's happening to crime trends and why? (Power Point file)

Class 5, July 14, 2009:

* How do we evaluate theory? (Power Point file)

PART THREE: WAYS TO EXPLAIN AND PREDICT CRIMINALITY (Chapter 3)

* What is a perspective, AND Types of perspectives (Power Point file)

Assignment 2 (due July 16, 2009)
Answer questions 1, 2, and 4 on page 51. Please USE YOUR OWN WORDS!

Class 6, July 15, 2009:

* Integrated Systems v. Other Perspectives (Power Point file)

* An Example of the Integrated Systems Perspective Assignment 3 (in class). Place the risk factors for violent crime on pages 43-44 into the appropriate level of analysis in the integrated systems perspective.

* Why Integrated Systems is More Useful than Classical and Positive Thought (see blackboard notes from class pertaining to Box 3.4 on page 46)

TEST 1 -- Monday, July 20, 2009! (Chapters 1-3)

 

PART FOUR: INTERNAL RISK FACTORS

Class 7, July 16, 2009

* Cell level factors: Genetics (Introduction) (Power Point file) (Chapter 4)

LINKS:

Class 8, July 20, 2009 -- Exam 1

Class 9, July 21, 2009

* Cell level factors: Genes and crime (Power Point file) (Chapter 4)

Web -- Crime Times -- http://www.crimetimes.org/

BONUS WEB file -- Examples of genetic research -- http://www.pscj.appstate.edu/genetics.html

Class 10, July 22, 2009:

* Organ level factors: The Brain (Introduction) (Power Point file) (Chapter 5)

Class 11, July 23, 2009:

* Organ level factors: The Brain and Crime (Power Point file) (Chapter 5)

* Organ level factors: Brain dysfunction study Assignment 4 (in class). Read the summary of brain dysfunction study and summarize it in your own words.

BONUS WEB file -- Brain Dysfunction study -- http://www.pscj.appstate.edu/brain.html

Class 12, July 24, 2009:

* Organism level factors PART 1: Personality and mental illness (Power Point file) (Chapter 6)

ttp://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
http://similarminds.com/personality_tests.html
http://www.4degreez.com/misc/personality_disorder_test.mv

Class 13, July 27, 2009:

* Organism level factors PART 2: Intelligence, diet and nutrition, drug use (Power Point file) (Chapter 6)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ
http://www.has.vcu.edu/psy/psy101/forsyth/normal.gif
http://www.geocities.com/rnseitz/Definition_of_IQ.html
http://www.iqtest.com/
http://www.intelligencetest.com/
http://web.tickle.com/tests/uiq/authorize/register.jsp?url=%2Ftests%2Fuiq%2Findex.jsp
http://www.thenutritionreporter.com/Nutrition_and_Crime.html
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20030514-000001.html
http://www.patrickcrusade.org/NutritionandCrime.html

TEST 2 -- Wednesday, July 29, 2009! (Chapters 4-6)

 

Class 14, July 28, 2009 and Class 15, July 29, 2009:

PART FIVE: EXTERNAL RISK FACTORS

* Group level factors: Families and peers (Power Point file) (Chapter 7)

* Bella and Marley Robinson, antisocial at birth (Power Point file)

* Parenting and Peers: A Timeline (Power Point file)

* Parenting: Risk and Protective Factors (Power Point file)

 

Class 16, July 30, 2009 and Class 17, August 3, 2009:

* Community / Organization level factors: Social disorganization, routine activities and lifestyles, deterrence and labeling (Power Point file) (Chapter 8)

Class 18, August 4, 2009:

* Society level factors: Anomie and strain, culture conflict and criminal subcultures, race, class, and gender (Power Point file) (Chapter 9)

Class 19, August 5, 2009:

PART SIX: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER INTO A NEW THEORY

* An Integrated Systems Theory of Antisocial Behavior (Power Point file) (Chapter 10)

 

TEST 3 -- Thursday, August 6, 2009! (Chapters 7-10)

 

 

Everything below this line is OLD NOTES, being revised for your class.

 

 

 

 

 


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