Several people have not turned in the Crime Types paper and need to do so ASAP. The clock is ticking.... Remember, I take one point off per day if something is late and you have no legitimate excuse for it being late. Also, you should be reading Tulia. I began to talk about it in class this past Tuesday. We will cover the whole of this book before all is said and done for the semester. And for the sake of ESSAY III, you need to read well into it. That essay will be due on the first class after the break.
On Tuesday 11/25 I will show the documentary on Tulia. It is pretty good, but by no means a substitute for the comprehensive coverage of this case in the book you are reading. To earn 4 points extra credit (which many of you could use), I want you to write a one-page response to seeing the documentary in which I want you to comment on the documentary as a whole and bring out ONE point where the book provides more detail or background on any aspect of this documentary. If you choose to do this, it will be due NO LATER THAN THE FIRST CLASS AFTER THE BREAK (Tues. 12/2).
Friday, November 21, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Drug War Video, Tulia, & ESSAY III
Instead of posting my follow-up comments on the drug war video we saw, I'll take some time out to highlight some points in class on Tuesday (11/18). We will also begin to talk about Tulia. You need to start reading that. I plan to cover it all before the semester is over. Also, as you can see below, the topic of your final out-of-class essay deals with Tulia.
__________________________
Sociology 220
Essay III
11/17/08
A. In the context of the early trials and convictions, which carried exceedingly long sentences (basically up to Part Three, p. 179), I want you to write an essay on how such a miscarriage of justice was possible in the first place. Specifically, I want you to identify and discuss any TWO factors which contributed to this miscarriage of justice. And between these two factors, which ONE do you believe represents the greatest threat to the proper functioning of our court system in general. (Note: you do not necessarily have to read all the way through p. 179 in order to complete this assignment.)
B. The essay should be roughly 3 pages. Be sure to indicate the page number(s) of any passage(s) from the book which you quote in your essay.
C. This essay is due on TUESDAY, DEC. 2ND, which is the first class after we come back from Thanksgiving break. This essay is worth 25 points.
__________________________
I will be handing back essay II on Tuesday (11/18). For those who have not yet turned that essay in, tomorrow will be the deadline to get it in.
Also, don't forget that the Crime Types Paper is due on Thursday (11/20), at which time each of you will be called on to give a brief overview of your paper in class.
__________________________
Sociology 220
Essay III
11/17/08
A. In the context of the early trials and convictions, which carried exceedingly long sentences (basically up to Part Three, p. 179), I want you to write an essay on how such a miscarriage of justice was possible in the first place. Specifically, I want you to identify and discuss any TWO factors which contributed to this miscarriage of justice. And between these two factors, which ONE do you believe represents the greatest threat to the proper functioning of our court system in general. (Note: you do not necessarily have to read all the way through p. 179 in order to complete this assignment.)
B. The essay should be roughly 3 pages. Be sure to indicate the page number(s) of any passage(s) from the book which you quote in your essay.
C. This essay is due on TUESDAY, DEC. 2ND, which is the first class after we come back from Thanksgiving break. This essay is worth 25 points.
__________________________
I will be handing back essay II on Tuesday (11/18). For those who have not yet turned that essay in, tomorrow will be the deadline to get it in.
Also, don't forget that the Crime Types Paper is due on Thursday (11/20), at which time each of you will be called on to give a brief overview of your paper in class.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Family Questions on Crime Types' Reports for the Final Exam
Below are the questions from the families, as promised. But you will note that I have done some editing. Also, some of you asked questions based more on my follow-up comments than your reports. You should have focused just on your reports. Finally, I probably should have asked you to come up with more than two questions so I could have selected two good ones from several, but I didn't, which is "my bad," I guess. Nonetheless, here they are:
Green Family: Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault
1. What types of murders does Cooney say constitute the majority of murders, as Dabney brings out in the Introduction to this chapter? (1)
ANSWER: Moralistic murders with expressive motives that are committed by novices in the heat of the moment. That is, "crimes of passion."
2. Identify and briefly describe ONE of the six possible rationalization frameworks battered women use to rationalize the behavior of their abusers. (2)
ANSWER: Any ONE of the following:
(1) appeal to the salvation ethic -- the woman feels the need to save the abuser.
(2) denial of the victimizer -- the woman sees the battering as an outside force beyond the control of their spouse and think it can be cured.
(3) denial of injury -- the experience is so out of sync with their expectations that they refuse to even acknowledge they've been hurt.
(4) denial of victimization -- the woman blames herself for the violence.
(5) denial of options -- referring to both practical and emotional options, the woman refuses to believe she has any other option than to stay with the abuser. Eg. that even a life being battered is better than being lonely and alone.
(6) appeal to higher loyalties -- the woman endures the abuse for the sake of a higher commitment, either religious or traditional.
Blue Family: Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes (Two family members submitted questions, so I simply selected the best two, which I also modified somewhat because most of the questions reflected my follow-up comments.)
1. Among the theories of rape mentioned in the Introduction to this chapter is the "gender inequality theory." Briefly describe this theory. (2)
ANSWER: "that rape and fear of rape enable men to assert their power over women and maintain the existing system of gender stratification (or inequality)." Rape is associated with strong patriarchal societies.
2. In the context of selection #8, "Understanding Women's Experiences of Wife Rape," what did I suggest in my follow-up comments was the "bottom line" with respect to preventing this type of rape especially? (1)
ANSWER: That men should be taught NOT to treat women as mere sex objects, even if they happen to be their wives.
Yellow family: Chapter 4: Robbery
1. How does robbery typically differ from other violent crimes such as murder, assault, and rape? (2)
ANSWER: In the case of robbery, the offender typically does NOT know the victim, as opposed to other violent crimes where there is often a previous relationship between the victim and the offender.
2. Identify ONE other possible motive, besides money, a robber may have. (1)
ANSWER: Any ONE of the capitalized terms: Expressive motives such as REVENGE, or a quest for EXCITEMENT and SENSORY STIMULATION.
Black family: Chapter 5: Burglary
1. In the context of Chapter 5 on burglary and the discussion of the "stolen property system," briefly describe the role of the "fence." (2)
ANSWER: The role of the fence is to receive the goods which have been stolen and then attempt to sell them. He is essentially the "middle man" who specializes in buying and selling stolen goods which is indispensable for burglars.
2. Seasoned professional burglars engage in "search planning" in which they often rely on what type of information? (1)
ANSWER: A "tipster" who informs them of the suitability of various targets.
Red family: Chapter 7: Public Order Crime
1. Identify any TWO of the six "contingent elements of the prostitute's identity," as discussed in selection # 18, "An Analysis of Women's Involvement in Prostitution." (2)
ANSWER: Any TWO of the following:
(1) prostitutes-as-workers
(2) prostitutes-as-commodified bodies
(3) prostitutes-as-business-women
(4) prostitutes-as-loving-partners
(5) prostitutes-as-victims
(6) prostitutes-as-survivors
2. Briefly describe the "residence house" as one of the most common forms of crack houses in the Miami area. (1)
ANSWER: Residence houses are private homes where the owner welcomes in partiers for extended drug and sex fests.
_________________________________________
Finally, a quick reminder for tomorrow's class (Tues. 11/11) that your essays on "A Hard Straight" are due. If for some reason you have not seen it yet, remember it is available on reserve in the library.
Green Family: Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault
1. What types of murders does Cooney say constitute the majority of murders, as Dabney brings out in the Introduction to this chapter? (1)
ANSWER: Moralistic murders with expressive motives that are committed by novices in the heat of the moment. That is, "crimes of passion."
2. Identify and briefly describe ONE of the six possible rationalization frameworks battered women use to rationalize the behavior of their abusers. (2)
ANSWER: Any ONE of the following:
(1) appeal to the salvation ethic -- the woman feels the need to save the abuser.
(2) denial of the victimizer -- the woman sees the battering as an outside force beyond the control of their spouse and think it can be cured.
(3) denial of injury -- the experience is so out of sync with their expectations that they refuse to even acknowledge they've been hurt.
(4) denial of victimization -- the woman blames herself for the violence.
(5) denial of options -- referring to both practical and emotional options, the woman refuses to believe she has any other option than to stay with the abuser. Eg. that even a life being battered is better than being lonely and alone.
(6) appeal to higher loyalties -- the woman endures the abuse for the sake of a higher commitment, either religious or traditional.
Blue Family: Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes (Two family members submitted questions, so I simply selected the best two, which I also modified somewhat because most of the questions reflected my follow-up comments.)
1. Among the theories of rape mentioned in the Introduction to this chapter is the "gender inequality theory." Briefly describe this theory. (2)
ANSWER: "that rape and fear of rape enable men to assert their power over women and maintain the existing system of gender stratification (or inequality)." Rape is associated with strong patriarchal societies.
2. In the context of selection #8, "Understanding Women's Experiences of Wife Rape," what did I suggest in my follow-up comments was the "bottom line" with respect to preventing this type of rape especially? (1)
ANSWER: That men should be taught NOT to treat women as mere sex objects, even if they happen to be their wives.
Yellow family: Chapter 4: Robbery
1. How does robbery typically differ from other violent crimes such as murder, assault, and rape? (2)
ANSWER: In the case of robbery, the offender typically does NOT know the victim, as opposed to other violent crimes where there is often a previous relationship between the victim and the offender.
2. Identify ONE other possible motive, besides money, a robber may have. (1)
ANSWER: Any ONE of the capitalized terms: Expressive motives such as REVENGE, or a quest for EXCITEMENT and SENSORY STIMULATION.
Black family: Chapter 5: Burglary
1. In the context of Chapter 5 on burglary and the discussion of the "stolen property system," briefly describe the role of the "fence." (2)
ANSWER: The role of the fence is to receive the goods which have been stolen and then attempt to sell them. He is essentially the "middle man" who specializes in buying and selling stolen goods which is indispensable for burglars.
2. Seasoned professional burglars engage in "search planning" in which they often rely on what type of information? (1)
ANSWER: A "tipster" who informs them of the suitability of various targets.
Red family: Chapter 7: Public Order Crime
1. Identify any TWO of the six "contingent elements of the prostitute's identity," as discussed in selection # 18, "An Analysis of Women's Involvement in Prostitution." (2)
ANSWER: Any TWO of the following:
(1) prostitutes-as-workers
(2) prostitutes-as-commodified bodies
(3) prostitutes-as-business-women
(4) prostitutes-as-loving-partners
(5) prostitutes-as-victims
(6) prostitutes-as-survivors
2. Briefly describe the "residence house" as one of the most common forms of crack houses in the Miami area. (1)
ANSWER: Residence houses are private homes where the owner welcomes in partiers for extended drug and sex fests.
_________________________________________
Finally, a quick reminder for tomorrow's class (Tues. 11/11) that your essays on "A Hard Straight" are due. If for some reason you have not seen it yet, remember it is available on reserve in the library.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Just a Reminder
This morning (Tues. 11/4) we saw the documentary, "A Hard Straight". You need to check out my Wed., Oct. 29th blog post for a description of the essay I want you to write on it, which will be due next Tuesday, 11/11. This documentary will be available in the library if you missed it or want to see some of it again. Just go to the circulation desk. It will be for use only in the library.
As I also mentioned this morning, we will wrap up Crime Types, as well as start to get into the drug issue next Tuesday. And don't forget the paper assignment in which you need to locate, read, and analyze three outside articles related to a particular crime type, which will be due on the 20th.
As I also mentioned this morning, we will wrap up Crime Types, as well as start to get into the drug issue next Tuesday. And don't forget the paper assignment in which you need to locate, read, and analyze three outside articles related to a particular crime type, which will be due on the 20th.
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