CJ 111 - Criminology

1. Demonstrate an understanding of what criminology is, how it evolved, and what criminologists do in their work.
2. Understand how criminologists view crime.
3. Articulate the distinction between recent crime trends and patterns of crime.
4. Evaluate the nature, extent, and causation of crime and critique the major criminological theories as it relates to criminal behavior.
5. Identify the various forms of crime: violent, property, public order, white collar, green collar and cyber crimes.
6. Examine the ecology of diet and crime.
7. Understand the institutional nature of criminal justice, including disparities associated with race, class, and gender.
8. Understand the concept of Restorative Justice.
9. Understand the concept of Victimization.
10. Understand biases and stereotypes and how they are disproportionately applied to minority groups, impacting treatment.
11. Create a written summary of the main ideas extracted from information gathered. 
12. Apply creativity thinking skills and alternative thinking to brainstorm new ideas and possible solutions to problems or issues. 

 
Course Outline:
I. Define Criminology: 

A. A scientific approach to studying criminal behavior 

B. Involves the disciplines of sociology, psychology, political science, economics and natural science 

C. Distinguish between criminal justice and criminology

D. Criminal statistics

II. How Criminologists View Crime: 

A. The consensus view of crime 

B. The conflict view of crime 

C. The interaction view of crime 

III. Crime and Deviance

A. Defining crime 

B. Defining Deviance

IV. Crime Trends: 

A. Self-reporting surveys crime trends 

B. Trends in violent crimes 

C. Trends in property crimes 

D. Trends in NCC reports 

E. Trends in self-reporting

V. Forms of Crime: 

A. Crimes against property

B. Crimes against persons

VI. Nutrition and Crime: 

A. Diet and crime

B. Neurophysiology conditions and crime

C. Evaluation of boo-social branch of train theory

VII. Psychological Traits and Characteristics: 

A. Personality and crime 

B. Intelligence and crime 

VIII. Restorative Justice: 

A. Re- integrative shaming 

B. The concept of restorative justice 

C. The process of restoration 

D. The challenge of restorative justice 

IX. The Nature of Victimization: 

A. The social ecology of victimization 

B. The victim’s household 

C. Victim characteristics 

D. Victims and their criminals 

X. Social Structure Theories: 

A. Strain Theory 

B. Social Disorganization Theory 

C. Cultural Deviance Theory

D. Social Learning Theories: 

1. Differential Association Theory 

2. Neutralization Theory 

XI. Causes of Violent Crime: 

A. Psychological abnormality 

B. Substance abuse 

C. Socialization and upbringing 

D. Exposure to violence 

E. Cultural values/subculture of violence 

F. History of rape 

G. Types of rape and rapists 

H. Murder and homicide

I. Degrees of murder 

J. Types of robbery 

XII. White-Collar Crimes: 

A. Embezzlement 

B. Employee fraud 

C. Bribery

           D. Organized crime: 

       1. Characteristics of organized crime 

       2. Activities of organized crime 

       3. The concept of organized crime 

       4. Contemporary organized crime groups 

       5. Controlling organized crime 

XIII. Cultural Awareness: 

A. Disproportionate application of minority groups

B. Bias and stereotypes 

XIV. Crime Pattern: 

A. Age and crime 

B. Gender and crime 

C. Race and crime 

D. Chronic offenders/career criminals

Multi Media Presentation: 0-5%

Facilitated Instruction: 0-20%

Group Exercises: 5-15%

Guest Speaker: 0-10%
Mandatory Course Components:
- Must cover at least 8 theories.

- Evidence mastery through qualitative and quantitative research project.

- Court Observations

- Use rubrics to grade assigments
Equivalent Courses:
None