SOC 224 - Criminology

3 credit hours - Three hours weekly; one term.
Study the cultural and historical influence of crime. Explore topics relating to the definition and meaning of crime and criminality; problems of official data; theoretic approach to causes of crime; and social and legal aspects of the criminal justice system with emphasis on roles of police, lawyers, judges, public and victims. Examine evolving theories and approaches to punishment, ranging from probation to capital punishment.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 111 or PSY 111 and eligibility for ENG 101 or ENG 101A .

Crosslisted: Also offered as CJS 224 ; credit will not be given for both SOC 224 and CJS 224 .

Note: Typically offered at MC and OL; all terms.

Course Outcomes:

Discuss the law as a social construction that changes over time in accordance with social norms, values, and power structures.
Identify trends in the demographic and social characteristics of criminal offender and crime victim populations.
Discuss the special manifestations of crime - criminal careers, conventional crime, public order crime, organized crime, occupational crime, as well as habitual and abnormal offenders.
Critically evaluate the effectiveness of social policies regarding corrections, incarceration, and treatment of offenders.
Evaluate the methods, results, and conclusions of criminological research.
Explain major theories of the causes and consequences of crime.