Criminal Behavior Spring 2014
Criminal Behavior – Syllabus for Spring 2014
Course Information / Instructor InformationCJ 0812.001 / Sheena Bala, B.S. / M.A.
CRN 21429 / Department of Criminal Justice
TR 3:30 – 4:50pm / Office: Gladfelter Hall, Room 514
Anderson 002 / Hours: TR, 11am-12pm & 2pm-3pm
January 21 – May 5 / Email:
Course Overview:
The Undergraduate Course Catalogue describes this course as: Although we like to think differently, committing crime is an extremely common human behavior. From the extremes of armed robbery or serial murder to the ordinary failure to declare income on tax returns or the tendency to speed on the highway, nearly everyone has broken the law and committed a crime at some point. Considering physiological, psychological and pharmacological factors, we explore the influences of family, peers and the effects of alcohol and drugs on the incidence of criminal behavior. And we examine how the urban and social environment encourages (or inhibits) opportunities to commit crime.
Hopefully, this description has caught your attention. This course will examine crime and the criminal justice system with an emphasis on criminal behaviors. Topics include the origins of criminal behavior; human aggression and violence; juvenile delinquency; criminal psychopathy; crime and mental disorders; homicides and assaults; school and workplace violence; the psychology of terrorism; sexual assault; property and economic crime; and crimes involving substance abuse and alcohol.
Class time will be a mix of lectures, discussions, group exercises, and videos. Students are expected to participate during class meetings. If this does not happen, discussions will be rather one-sided and boring. The class schedule below includes topics covered, course readings, and exam dates. As the instructor, I will try my best to make class time engaging, but I need your help. If everyone pitches in and does the assigned work, we can all get through the semester with relative ease.
Additionally, Philadelphia Experience (PEX) is a theme that runs through the entire GenEd program, allowing students to blend real encounters in the city and region with their progress through the different GenEd areas.Therefore, in addition to our normal classes, we will also be taking a tour of Eastern State Penitentiary (to correspond to our course readings). More information about the field trip will be given in class.
Textbooks:
· Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approach, 10th Edition (Optional)
o By Curt Bartol & Anne Bartol
o ISBN: 9780132973199
· Eastern State Penitentiary: A History (Required)
o By Paul Kahan
o ISBN: 9781596294035
Course Grading:
Attendance & Participation / Class attendance and contributing to class discussions,in-class assignments, group work, etc. / 20%
Eastern State Tour / Assignments based on the required book and the class
field trip to Eastern State Penitentiary. / 10%
Final Project / A presentation in front of the class on a specific topic related to
Criminal Behavior. Detailed info will be given in class. / 20%
Exam 1: Midterm / Multiple-choice, true/false, or short answer questions
covering the first half of the class schedule. / 25%
Exam 2: Final / Multiple-choice, true/false, or short answer questions
covering the second half of the class schedule. / 25%
Extra Credit / To be announced. / 0 - 5%
A / A - / B + / B / B - / C + / C / C - / D + / D / D - / F
100à
93% / 92à
90% / 89à
87% / 86à
83% / 82à
80% / 79à
77% / 76à
73% / 72à
70% / 69à
67% / 66à
63% / 62à
60% / 59à
0%
Tentative Course Schedule:
Date / Topics / Assignments / Exams / ReadingsWeek 1:
Tuesday, Jan. 21 / è Classes begin. Review syllabus and introductions.
Thursday, Jan. 23 / è Group assignments. Topic: Introduction to criminal behavior. / CB: Ch. 1
Week 2:
Tuesday, Jan. 28 / è Topic: Origins of criminal behavior. / CB: Ch. 2-3
Thursday, Jan. 30 / è Topic: Origins of criminal behavior. / CB: Ch. 4
Week 3:
Tuesday, Feb. 4 / è Topic: Human aggression and violence. / CB: Ch. 5
Thursday, Feb. 6 / è Topic: Juvenile delinquency. / CB: Ch. 6
Week 4:
Tuesday, Feb. 11 / è Topic: Criminal psychopathy. / CB: Ch. 7
Thursday, Feb. 13 / è Topic: Crime and mental disorders. / CB: Ch. 8
Week 5:
Tuesday, Feb. 18 / è Film Topic: Psychopathy.
Thursday, Feb. 20 / è Topic: Psychopathy and popular culture.
Week 6:
Tuesday, Feb. 25 / è Topic: Homicide, assault, and family violence. / CB: Ch. 9
Thursday, Feb. 27 / è Topic: Multiple murder, school, and workplace violence. / CB: Ch. 10
Week 7:
Tuesday, Mar. 4 / è No class: Spring Break.
Thursday, Mar. 6 / è No class: Spring Break.
Week 8:
Tuesday, Mar. 11 / è Midterm exam review session.
Thursday, Mar. 13 / è Midterm Exam.
Week 9:
Tuesday, Mar. 18 / è Topic: Psychology of terrorism. / CB: Ch. 11
Thursday, Mar. 20 / è Film Topic: International Crime and the ICC.
Week 10:
Tuesday, Mar. 25 / è Topic: Sexual assault. / CB: Ch. 12
Thursday, Mar. 27 / è Topic: Sexual assault of children and youth and other offenses. / CB: Ch. 13
Week 11:
Tuesday, Apr. 1 / è Topic: Property crime. / CB: Ch. 14
Thursday, Apr. 3 / è Topic: Violent economic crime and crimes of intimidation. / CB: Ch. 15
Tentative Course Schedule (continued):
Date / Topics / Assignments / Exams / ReadingsWeek 12:
Tuesday, Apr. 8 / è Topic: Substance abuse, alcohol, and crime. / CB: Ch. 16
Thursday, Apr. 10 / è Final Project: Class presentations, Part 1.
Week 13:
Tuesday, Apr. 15 / è Final Project: Class presentations, Part 2.
Thursday, Apr. 17 / è Final Project: Class presentations, Part 3.
Week 14:
Tuesday, Apr. 22 / è Topic: Eastern State Penitentiary. / ESP
Thursday, Apr. 24 / è Topic: Eastern State Penitentiary. / ESP
Week 15:
Tuesday, Apr. 29 / è Topic: Eastern State Penitentiary. / ESP
Thursday, May 1 / è Classes end. Final exam review session.
Date
Tuesday, May 13 / è Final Exam (1pm – 3pm).
TBA / è Class Field Trip: Eastern State Penitentiary.
Course Policies:
· Blackboard: This course will use Blackboard regularly for course materials, announcements, assignments, and readings. Students should make sure to check Blackboard and their TU email account.
· Attendance: Attendance will be taken during every class. Students are allowed three absences before their grade begins to drop. If documentation is presented to the instructor to explain the absence, any missed assignments can be made-up at the instructor’s discretion. Exam make-ups will only be given with a documented note and at the instructor’s discretion.
· Religious Holidays: If a student will be observing any religious holidays this semester which will prevent them from attending a regularly scheduled class or interfere with fulfilling any course requirement, they will be offered an opportunity to make up the class or course requirement if they make arrangements by informing the instructor of the dates of the religious holidays before their absence.
· Participation: Students are expected to engage in class discussions, group work and actively participate throughout the semester. Texting, falling asleep, and general disrespect will negatively impact a student’s grade.
· Class Cancellations/Inclement Weather: Temple University will assume normal operations unless otherwise specified by the University. To the degree which the weather or emergency indicates, closings may occur at various levels. Please check for emergency notifications, the Temple University homepage, or your email accounts. Students will be notified of any unofficial class cancellations through Blackboard.
· Withdrawals/Incomplete Coursework: An instructor will file an “I” (Incomplete) only if the student has completed the majority of the work of the course at a passing level, and only for reasons beyond the student’s control. See the Temple University Policies and Procedures Manual for more information. Students must know the dates and deadlines for course withdrawals by referring to the Temple University Academic Calendar.
· Accommodations: This course is open to all students who meet the academic requirements for participation. Any student who has a need for an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
· Policy on Academic Honesty: Students who cheat or plagiarize will automatically fail. See the Temple University Bulletin for complete rules and regulations.
· Statement on Academic Freedom: Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link: http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02.
General Education / Human Behavior Goals:
Program Goals
GenEd is about making connections. GenEd classes draw connections between academic knowledge and current controversies. From global terrorism to global climate change, from digital mapping to the future of television, GenEd classes will involve looking at cutting edge issues from multiple perspectives. GenEd draws connections too with the city of Philadelphia, as classroom study is integrated with Temple’s dynamic urban environment. GenEd facilitates linkages by stressing the development of eight skills and abilities rather than on content knowledge. The Program in General Education provides opportunities for students to engage in:
Critical Thinking: Think critically.
Within GenEd, students who think critically recognize an object of investigation, frame questions about it, and interrogate assumptions—explicit or implicit. Critical thinking includes the evaluation of evidence, analysis and synthesis of multiple sources, and reflection on varied perspectives. Critical thinking generates a well-developed investigation that incorporates supporting and countering claims. A student engaged in critical thinking produces an informed account, a hypothesis for further study, or the solution to a problem.
Contextualized Learning: Understand historical and contemporary issues in context.
Within GenEd, students who contextualize learning understand and integrate historical, contemporary, and cultural phenomena and their underlying principles in two broad applications. First, contextual learners recognize the interaction of complex forces that give rise to specific phenomena. Second, contextual learners understand and analyze related events, artifacts, practices and concepts across geographic, chronological and cultural boundaries.
Interdisciplinary Thinking: Understand and apply knowledge in and across disciplines.
Within GenEd, students who use interdisciplinary thinking recognize the world presents problems, topics, or issues too complex to be satisfactorily addressed though a single lens. Thus, interdisciplinary thinkers apply multiple perspectives, paradigms, and frameworks to problems, topics, or issue
Communication Skills: Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Within GenEd, students who communicate effectively use spoken and written language to construct a message that demonstrates the communicator has established clear goals and has considered her or his audience. Effective messages are organized and presented in a style appropriate to the context.
Scientific & Quantitative Reasoning
Within GenEd, students who exercise quantitative and scientific reasoning use and apply these reasoning processes to explain phenomena in the context of everyday life. Quantitative reasoning includes statistical and/or logical problem-solving, the relationships between quantities, and the use and misuse of quantitative data. Scientific reasoning introduces students to the evolution and interdependence of science and technology and includes problem identification, hypothesis evaluation, experimentation, interpretation of results and the use and misuse of scientific data.
Civic Engagement: Function as an engaged citizen in a diverse and globalized world.
Within GenEd, students open to civic engagement view themselves as connected to local and global communities where they participate in activities that address issues of public concern. Critically engaged students define issues, pose, probe, and solve problems with an awareness of and an inclusion of the diverse values and interests.
Information Literacy: Identify, access and evaluate sources of information.
Within GenEd, information literacy encompasses a broad spectrum of abilities, including the ability to recognize and articulate information needs; to locate, critically evaluate, and organize information for a specific purpose; and to recognize and reflect on the ethical use of information.
Lifelong Learning: Promote a lasting curiosity.
GenEd cultivates these skills and abilities throughout the required undergraduate curriculum, and students will experience these ways of being though readings, discussions, activities, and classes throughout GenEd.
Human Behavior Area Goals
GenEd Human Behavior courses address the relationships between individuals and communities. Courses may focus on the relationship between individuals and communities in general or may engage those relationships from specific perspectives (such as art, music, education, religion, economics, politics or education), or look at them within specific themes (such as food & eating, crime, crisis, sexuality, adolescence). Human Behavior courses are intended to teach students how to: Understand relationships between individuals and communities; understand theories or explanations of human behavior used to describe social phenomena; examine the development of individuals’ beliefs, behaviors, and assumptions and how these affect individuals and communities; apply one disciplinary method to understand human behavior or explain social phenomena; access and analyze materials related to individuals, communities or social phenomena; and compare and contrast similar social phenomena across individuals or communities.
Page 1 of 6