Catalog Description

Advisory: Completion with grade of "C" or better or concurrent enrollment in SOC 1
Hours: 54 lecture
Description: Sociological analysis of crime, the criminal justice system, deviance, and mechanisms of social control. Explores the history and social construction of crime, criminality, and deviance. Examines definitions of crime and deviance as well as methods used to control deviant behavior. (C-ID SOCI 160) (CSU, UC)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Apply sociological theory, research, and critical analysis to the understanding of deviance and social control in society.
  • CSLO #2: Apply the sociological imagination in evaluating deviance and social control historically and culturally.
  • CSLO #3: Evaluate the role of deviance in social structural change and analyze the impact of definitions of deviance on social interaction across malleable contexts

Effective Term

Fall 2024

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

54

Outside of Class Hours

108

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

1. Define the major concepts in criminology.
2. Define the concept of social norms and explain why they exist in all cultures as a way to maintain social control.
3. Compare and contrast the sociological theories used to explain crime and criminal behavior.
4. Describe examples that illustrate the major criminology theories.
5. Compare and contrast the principles, procedures, and methods used by sociologists in the collection of crime-related data.
6. Analyze criminal patterns and trends.
7. Analyze society's means and methods of addressing criminal behavior.
8. Analyze crime rates and variations of criminality as they exist historically and cross-culturally and propose explanations for these variations.
9. Examine the role of the police, courts, and corrections as a means to enforce laws and sanction and punish criminal acts.
10. Analyze the legal and criminal justice system as a social institution.
11. Define and identify the types of crime and the people who commit them.
12. Differentiate between actual crime and perceptions of crime.
13. Analyze how race, gender, sexual orientation, age and class affect arrest, charging, and sentencing.
14. Assess various types of intervention and prevention programs developed to reduce criminal behavior.

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • AA/AS - Behavioral Sciences
  • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
    • CSUGE-D0 Sociology/Criminology
  • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
    • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)
      • IGETC - 4J Sociology/Criminlgy

    Articulation Information

    • CSU Transferable
    • UC Transferable

    Methods of Evaluation

    • Classroom Discussions
      • Example: After watching a film about prison systems, faculty will divide students into small groups and facilitate a discussion and evaluate the arguments for incarceration (deterrence, retribution, recidivism, retaliation, rehabilitation). (Objective 14)
    • Essay Examinations
      • Example: In an exam, reply to the following prompt in essay form: Explain the difference between crime and deviance. Give an example of each in your response.
    • Objective Examinations
      • Example: Exam Question: Behavior and appearances that follow and maintain the standards of a group are examples of: A. deviance B. pure deviant C. informal social control D. conformity E. social differentiation

    Repeatable

    No

    Methods of Instruction

    • Lecture/Discussion
    • Distance Learning

    Lecture:

    1. Students will regularly analyze, evaluate, compare and critique articles and research in reference to the study of deviance and criminology. Lectures, readings, small and large group discussions, in-class activities, films and guest speakers will be utilized. Example:
    2. After watching a film about prison systems, faculty will divide students into small groups to discuss and evaluate the arguments for incarceration (deterrence, retribution, recidivism, retaliation, rehabilitation).
    3. After the small group student-to-student discussion, instructor will bring students back into a large class-wide discussion. Students will report out, instructor will facilitate dialogue across groups and integrate responses into course lecture.

    Distance Learning

    1. Following online readings and lecture that students complete, faculty will host a video conference session to critically discuss the impact of social stratification on criminal sentencing and incarceration rates

    Typical Out of Class Assignments

    Reading Assignments

    Students will have weekly reading assignments in college-level texts. Sample assignments: 1. Read chapter 1 and choose one of the key sociological theories with which to analyze deviance. 2. Read the chapter on corporate crime and come prepared to debate the social impact.

    Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

    Students will regularly write formal, college level, essays on Sociological issues related to crime and deviance. Examples: 1. Critically analyze an existing law or policy for its impact on different demographic groups or use in social control. 2. After participating in the Norm Violating assignment, summarize your experiences and observations. Include an analysis of how your experiment relates to the study of deviance and social control.

    Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

    Research Paper Choose a topic to investigate. Possible topics are: sociological explanations of and social factors connected with hate crimes among youth, sociological explanations of drug abuse in teenagers, sociological explanations of particular kinds of white collar crime, a sociological perspective of the death penalty debate, sociological perspectives on particular forms of social control, etc. Read 8-10 scholarly journal articles related to the study of deviance. Write an outline of the paper. Write a research paper, including an introduction, thesis statement, body with main points, conclusion. Make sure to include sociological analysis focused upon at least one key theoretical framework.

    Required Materials

    • Deviance and Social Control: A Sociological Perspective
      • Author: Michelle Inderbitzin, Kristin Bates
      • Publisher: Sage
      • Publication Date: 2020
      • Text Edition: 3rd
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Deviant Behavior
      • Author: Thio, Taylor, Schwartz
      • Publisher: Pearson
      • Publication Date: 2021
      • Text Edition: 12
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Understanding Deviance: A Guide to the Sociology of Crime and Rule-Breaking
      • Author: Downes, Rock
      • Publisher: Oxford University Press
      • Publication Date: 2016
      • Text Edition: 7
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Understanding Deviance: Connecting Classical and Contemporary Perspectives (Contemporary Sociological Perspectives)
      • Author: Andersen
      • Publisher: Routledge
      • Publication Date: 2014
      • Text Edition: 1st
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:

    Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.