2024 Fall > UGRD > sociol > sociol 474
Senior Seminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice
Course #: sociol 474
Description:
This course fulfills the capstone requirement for Criminology and Criminal Justice majors. Each course offering takes an in-depth look at one key topic or issue within criminology and/or criminal justice that varies semester-to-semester. Topics may include, but are not limited to: Offending over the life course, issues in mass incarceration and prisoner reentry, racial and ethnic disparities in criminal justice, victimization, comparative criminal justice, and the politics of crime control.
Pre Requisites:
Pre-requisites: SOCIOL 104 and SOCIOL 202 and SOCIOL 262 and (SOCIOL 350 or SOCIOL 352 or PSYCH 370) and 75+ credits.
| Section | Class Number | Schedule/Time | Instructor | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 9926 | M 5:30 - 8:15 pm |
Todd,Lydia M | University Hall Y01-1320 | |
|
Session:
Regular
Class Dates:
09/03/2024 - 12/13/2024
Capacity:
25
Enrolled:
15
Status:
Open
Credits:
3/3
Class Notes:
Since the turn of the century, human service and criminal justice systems have been changing due to research that shows young people's brains are still developing until their mid-twenties. This has created a new category of 'transition age youth' (TAY) or 'emerging adults' (EA) that requires both juvenile and adult criminal justice practitioners to think differently. The work emphasizes keeping young people out of the system, helping those who are in the system to get on positive trajectories, and preparing all for adulthood and independence. During this course, we will explore the concepts of TAY/EA, including historic and current attitudes towards criminal and anti-social behavior of this population. We will examine the social, physiological, and psychological causes and correlates of anti-social behavior, and societal responses, including changing approaches. We will explore the reduction of population in juvenile justice, the creation of specialized programs in the adult system, and the ’Raise the Age’ movement. We will also look at how these changes connect to racial disparities. Through readings, lectures, and discussions, you can expect to gain a balanced view of what TAY/EA means to the various systems that serve young people, and the impact of this reframing on criminal justice practitioners. For the capstone project, each student will choose a specific substantive area related to TAY/EA, explore the literature, and evaluate (and/or develop) policy or practice recommendations for a thoughtful, theoretically grounded intervention designed to assist TAY/EA to become
Pre Requisites:
Pre-requisites: SOCIOL 104 and SOCIOL 202 and SOCIOL 262 and (SOCIOL 350 or SOCIOL 352 or PSYCH 370) and 75+ credits.
Course Attributes:
Non-degree exclude from list
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| 02 | 9927 | TuTh 4:00 - 5:15 pm |
Walsh,Gerald M | Wheatley W02-0126 | |
|
Session:
Regular
Class Dates:
09/03/2024 - 12/13/2024
Capacity:
24
Enrolled:
15
Status:
Open
Credits:
3/3
Class Notes:
The United States pays a heavy price for incarceration. State, County, and Federal budgets are stretched, families are torn apart when loved ones are sent away, communities are adversely affected when large percentages of the population are incarcerated or have formerly served time in prison. Is incarceration the best action to take when someone violates a law? Are there alternatives that best fit the wishes of society? When someone becomes a prisoner, are we treating them humanely, fairly, and respectfully? Does the correctional system itself contain fundamental flaws? If so, what are these systemic flaws? Are inmates prepared for successful reentry back into the community? In this course, we will attempt to answer these questions and others that deal with the critical issues punishment presents. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for Criminology and Criminal Justice majors and will focus understanding and assessing incarceration as a punishment through the use of first-person accounts, research, and literature. It will explore aspects of all punishment options and prison life from the varying perspectives of inmates, correctional staff, and other constituencies, including victims of crime. The course will further consider the complex challenges of applying a form social control for those who commit crime from the time of sentencing through community reentry, as the students develop a theoretical approach to address the intricate issues in punishment today.This course uses low-cost course material which will cost less than $50. For more information about low-cost course material, please visit open.umb.edu
Pre Requisites:
Pre-requisites: SOCIOL 104 and SOCIOL 202 and SOCIOL 262 and (SOCIOL 350 or SOCIOL 352 or PSYCH 370) and 75+ credits.
Course Attributes:
Non-degree exclude from list
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