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Syllabus

UNE Summer Session

SOC 170: Deviance and Crime – 6 Weeks

Credits - 3

Description

Most introductory courses on the sociology of crime and deviance begin by posing the question “what is deviance”? At a very basic level, deviance is simply a departure from a given ‘norm’; exactly what or who is considered deviant depends on which ‘norms’ we are talking about. Those who ‘transgress’ norms are the source of much interest and fascination, and provoke a number of concerns and questions about what causes these deviations.

Until fairly recently almost all inquiry has focused on finding an explanation for this wrongdoing. The rules that defined what is considered deviant taken to be valid and as a constant. This tradition continues with many sociologists consistently failing to ask some fundamental questions, ones more basic than the “why do they do it?”

The frequently overlooked question relates to the ‘rules’ defining what is deviant. How do the rules arise, how do they function, and how do we react to those that break the rules, customs, or laws, which govern and structure social life? The story of deviance is not only about the deviant themselves but is also one of social control, a story of the battle to control the ways people think, feel, and behave. In this context, the reason why someone transgresses a rule is only part of the picture. What we must also consider throughout our explorations of deviance is the question posed at the beginning: “what is deviance”, “how and why do certain ‘acts’ and ‘behaviors’ become termed as ‘deviant’?

Materials

Brown, S. E., & Geis, G. (2018). Criminology (10th Edition). Taylor & Francis

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Deviance and Crime is classified as an ‘Explorations’ (EXP) course in UNE’s core curriculum. Explorations are designed to foster student inquiry into engaging academic topics. Each Exploration course introduces the intellectual tools of the discipline in which it is offered, encouraging students to understand the liberal arts as including distinctive ways of understanding. 

 

This class is also a required class for Criminology majors. 

 

By the end of the course, student should be able to:

 

  1. Demonstrate how categories of crime and deviance are relative to social and historical norms

 

  1. Summarize and differentiate the major theories of crime and criminalization

 

  1. Evaluate how social forces and power structures affect the perception and pursuit of justice in the U.S. and around the world.

 

  1. Apply and integrate theories of crime to explain specific criminal behavior

 

Assignments

Mid-Term 20 points  

Portfolio 30 points

Presentation 20 points 

Final 20 points 

Participation   10 points

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Part One

Concepts and Context

Week One   

  • Introductions
  • What is Criminology? 

Read Intro to Part One and Chapter One

  • What is Crime? Understanding the relativity of criminal behavior
  • A Society Agreed or in Conflict?
  • Watch the documentary Crack 

Read Chapter Two

Week Two

  • How Much Crime is There?
  • Beyond True Crime and Fear of Crime

Read Chapter Three

 

Part Two

Early Theories of Crime

 

Week Three

  • Movie: The Minority Report
  • Classical Criminology: Rational Choice Theories
  • The Limits of Deterrence 

Read Chapter Four

  • The Positivist School
  • Biological and Psychological Theories of Crime
    Applying what we know to The Minority Report
  • Exam Review

Read Chapter Five 

  • Midterm 

 

Part Three

Contemporary Theories of Crime

 

Week Four

  • Strain Theories: Where there’s a will there’s a way
  • Show: Cocaine Cowboys 

Read Chapter Six

  • Learning Theories: subcultures of violence
  • Social Control Theories

Read Chapter Seven

 

Week Five

  • Labeling Theory

Read Chapter Eight

 

Part Four

Conflict Theories of Crime

 

Week Six

  • Conflict Theory: “The Rich get Richer, the Poor Get Prison”
  • Racism and The Criminal Justice System
  • Documentary: 13th 

Read Chapter Eight Continued; Other Reading to be Assigned

 

  • Presentations 
  • Final

Student Resources

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

Career Ready Program

The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Summer Session Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Email: summersessiononline@une.edu.

Instructor and Support Contact Information

Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.

UNE Libraries

Further Assistance

Your student support specialist monitors course progression and provides assistance or guidance when needed. They can assist questions regarding ordering course materials, University policies, billing, navigating the course in Brightspace, and more.

To request an accommodation a student needs to go through the process with our UNE office. If the student has a current/already established accommodation in place with UNE it is the responsibility of the student to notify the program at summersessiononline@une.edu to ensure it is applied properly.

If you need to inquire about a possible accommodation, please reach out to the Student Access Center by calling 207-221-4418 or send an email to pcstudentaccess@une.edu.

Policies

Summer Session & Academic Engagement Policy

Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm EDT of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion by 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday of the first week, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the Student Summer Session Manual for full details.

Proctored Examinations

Your course may have proctored exams. Please see the course for the exact exam requirements, test-taker guidance, proctoring format, and allowances (such as calculators or whiteboards, as indicated in the course).

Information about exam attempts can be found in your course.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements.

Course Length

A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus.

Courses in the program are equivalent to one-semester courses designed to be completed in 6 or 12 weeks.

  1. Enrollment in the course begins the day your section opens which is listed in the Academic Calendar.
  2. Course due dates, start and end dates are in respect to Eastern Time.

Withdrawal and Refund Policies

Please review the policies in your confirmation email. Contact summersessiononline@une.edu with any questions.

Grade Policy

Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course.

Transcripts

Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the College. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.