Syllabus

CCJ 5669 Race, Ethnicity, Crime and Social Justice Summer 2007
Last updated 05/08/2007

FSU School of Criminology

Dr. Cecil Greek

Contact Points:
cgreek@mailer.fsu.edu
850-906-0340 (phone)
850-339-4268 (cell)
850-644-9614 (fax)

Web Pages: http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/faculty/greek/greek.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~cegreek/index.html

Required Texts:

1. Anderson, Elijah. (1999) Code of the Street. NY: W.W. Norton.

2. Cole, David. (1999). No Equal Justice. NY: New Press.

3. Kennedy, Randall. (1997) Race, Crime, and the Law. NY: Pantheon Books

4. Mauer, Marc. (1999). Race to Incarcerate. NY: The New Press

5. Rodriguez, Luis. (1994). Always Running. NY: Touchstone

6. Walker, Samuel Walker et al. (2004). The Color of Justice. SF: Wadsworth

7. Wilson, William Julius. (1997). When Work Disappears. NY: Random House

Course Overview:

Books, scholarly articles, and essays on criminal justice often point out the disparate rates at which minorities (particularly Blacks and Hispanics) are involved in the criminal justice system. On the one hand, arrest, court appearance, and sentencing statistics demonstrate much higher proportions (over 50% of prison populations in many state prison systems are black) of minority involvement; on the other hand, disproportionately lower numbers of minorities have found employment in the criminal justice system as police officers, lawyers, judges, and correctional staff workers. These startling facts have led many people to question whether the American criminal justice system has built in-racial biases that are both historically rooted and continue to influence criminal justice policy and street-level justice practices. Unfortunately, for a significant proportion of Americans at the dawn of the 21st century, the terms “black” and “criminal” are used almost as if they are synonyms.
        Several of the major perspectives in criminal justice (for example, radical, conflict, labeling) attempt to explain such outcomes primarily as the result of social class biases rather than institutionalized racism or explicit discrimination. As wealthy elites always want to protect their property, privilege, and influence from those who might usurp it, it is not surprising that criminal law and its administration focus the great majority of its effort on street-level crime. However, as these perspectives are often themselves labeled “radical” or “conflict” approaches, they are treated as outside the mainstream of criminal justice system thought. Perspectives that see definitions of criminal behavior as consensus agreements and current criminal justice policies as rationally nonprejudicial are in vogue. Thus, calls to treat all criminals the same, crack down on crime, or use policies such as “three strikes and you’re out,” all simply reconfirm that minorities represent a significant part of the crime problem.
        The focus of this course will be different in two fundamental ways from more traditional approaches, including conflict perspectives, to the issues related to ethnicity and criminal justice. First, we will attempt to discuss the experience of being part of the criminal justice system from the bottom up rather than the top down. For example, what is it like to be minority motorist stopped by the police? Why are such stops more likely to bring out negative behavior on the part of the police? Have minority communities come to expect and accept that a higher number of their sons and daughters will go to prison or be under community supervision rather than finish college? Is the increased likelihood of being labeled criminal one of the collateral consequences of being black or minority in America?
        A second difference will be to approach the entire question of criminal justice policies and administration from a perspective based upon “harm.” While certainly most citizens can rationally understand the amount of harm to a victim caused by a home break in or open air robbery, it is much more difficult to calculate the harm done as a result of such white-collar crime sprees as the Savings and Loan scandal of the 1980s or the Internet-centered stock market swindles of the 1990s; the latter of which led to the economic downturn of the early 2000s. Harm can be more broadly discussed as well by looking at effects our system’s punitive sentencing policies have on offenders, their families, and their communities. What are the collateral consequences? Do programs such as Weed and Seed that focus on removing drug users from communities, also affect the families that reside there by eliminating bread-winning fathers? These communities, in turn, have largely been historically harmed by racially discriminatory policies and attitudes such as comparatively inadequate funding for schools and social services.
       By combining an experience-based understanding of minority communities and their interactions with criminal justice system, with a harm-focused orientation on crime, this course hopes to promote alternative frameworks for understanding minority issues.

Course Goals:

After completing this course you should be able to discuss the following types of topics:

	What is the extent to which racism and other forms of bias influence practices and policies within American criminal justice?
	Why is how we think about a definition of race (as a social concept, cultural concept, or legal concept) important to understanding critical issues related to criminal justice and minorities?
	Why is the understanding of history and community important to the study of race and ethnicity as identities?
	What role have the police, courts and corrections played in creating our current system in which racial disproportionality at arrest, conviction and sentencing appears to be the norm? Should changes in criminal justice system policies be instituted?
	What is social justice? Is it a feasible goal of the criminal justice system?

Course Readings by Topics:

As this is a 6 week course as opposed to a typical 14 week semester, we will move at approximately double pace. Each week starts on a Wednesday and ends on Tuesday night. Thus, week 1 starts on May 9 and ends on May 15, etc.

Week 1A: Race Race as a Social Concept Race as a Cultural Concept Race as a Legal Concept	Walker 1 Rodriguez 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Mauer 7 Kennedy 1
Week 1B & 2A: Poor Racial Communities: Experiential Components Gangs Street Codes Family Work	Walker 10 Wilson 1, 2, 4, 5 Rodriguez 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Anderson- Intro, 1, 2
Week 2B: Crime in Poor Ethnic Communities Offenders Victims Theories Related to Street Crime	Walker 2, 3 Wilson 3 Anderson 3, 4, 5, 6 Mauer 6, 9
Week 3A: The Police Overt Discrimination Covert Discrimination Is Community Policing an Answer?	Walker 4 Cole 1 Kennedy 3, 4
Week 3B: Criminal Law Segregation Era Warren Court and Beyond The War on Drugs	Cole 2, 5 Mauer 4, 8, 10 Kennedy 2, 10
Week 4A & 4B: The Courts Prosecutorial Issues Plea Bargaining Jury Selection	Walker 5, 6 Cole 3 Kennedy 5, 6, 7, 8
Week 5A & 5B: Punishment Sentencing Get Tough on Crime Movement & Habitual Offender Laws Prison Culture The Death Penalty	Walker 7, 8 Cole 4 Mauer 1, 2, 3 Kennedy 9
Week 6A & 6B: The Future: Is Social Justice Possible? Harm as a Criteria for Judging Crime and Responses Collateral Consequences Can CJ System Include Activist Policies?	Walker 11 Wilson 6, 7, 8 Cole 6, 7 Mauer 5, 11, 12

Class Discussions and Writing Assignments:

This summer's version of CCJ 5669 will be mainly centered on reading a series of key books dealing with issues of race, inequality, crime and social justice in the United States. We'll read several books (listed above) and write a series of critical reviews and reflections on the reading for each section of the course. There are 8 sections of the course.

A. Reaction Paper Reviews: Due Tuesday nights at 11:59 PM

These will be roughly 750-1000 words long (3-4 double spaced pages). No need for full APA format on these. Just mention authors' names within the sentences themselves. You'll be given feedback on your reviews: the aim in the course is both to engage you with the substantive issues the books raise, and also to give you a chance to enhance your analytical and writing skills. In addition, at the end of the course we'll have a final paper, which will allow you to explore broader issues raised in the readings as a whole.

WRITING HINT ON REACTION PAPERS

I see patterns in the reaction papers early in each semester that need to be addressed. Each of these papers is expected to be a synthesis of the readings for the course section. The first step in preparing to write them is to go through the section's readings and locate ALL material that applies to the question.

For example, while paper 2 specifically asks you to address "street" v. "decent" families, that does not mean that one can write an answer based upon Andersen's work alone. The writings of Wilson and Rodriguez also has insights into these distinctions, though they do not use Anderson's phrases.

The other important thing is to make sure that all components of the question are answered. For example, in paper 2 a discussion of each element of this sentence is needed: "Include discussions of attitudes toward work, school, and interaction with others."

Third, you should be trying to point out trends and patterns, and not focusing on individual incidents. Otherwise you will end up writing a paper either much longer than the suggested length or one that misses the big picture.

The ability to compare, contrast, analyze and synthesize are graduate school writing skills that this course is trying to teach. Your papers must reflect that you are making efforts to write beyond "book review" type descriptions.

Reaction Paper Topics:

Reaction Paper 1: Due May 15 11:59 PM

For the first reaction paper focus primarily on the Rodriguez autobiography and the Kennedy text.
1. What did you gain from it in understanding race/ethnicity as a cultural concept?
2. Discuss the interactions of the barrio communities with police? With the broader social institutions of American society?
3. Drawing upon the Kennedy reading, how might the various camps (which could be labeled as: law and order, limiting government power, color blind constitution, group advocates) have responded to the experiences and behavior of barrio youth and the criminal justice reactions?

Reaction Paper 2: Due May 22 11:59 PM

Based upon the readings for this section, compare the lives of “decent” and “street” families. Include discussions of attitudes toward work, school, and interaction with others. Why are kids from decent families also at risk of becoming street kids? Compare Andersen to the Walker book's attempts to outline the major criminological theories which have been applied to explaining the disproportionate rates of crime and victimization that exist in minority communities.

Reaction Paper 3: Due May 29 11:59 PM

Police behavior when interacting with minority citizens has always been a controversial issue. What light do the readings shed on this issue? How might police-community relations in primarily minority neighborhoods be improved? Compare the readings to Diop Kamau's DVD.

Reaction Paper 4: Due June 5 11:59 PM

While key aspects of criminal law and its operation are expected to be its fairness and neutrality there appear to be a number of factors that tend to prevent this. Discuss the relationship between media images of crime and their political response in the creation of criminal law. Why do these processes result in laws that disproportionately impact minorities? Give examples. Finally, in what specific ways might a social justice approach suggest alternatives to the current laws and their administration?
The court system is a cherished American institution within which all Americans have been guaranteed justice. However, when one examines fundamental aspects of the court process the procedures and outcomes seem to suffer from bias. In this regard discuss each of the following issues: bail, legal defense, plea bargaining, and jury selection. Include discussion of these issues from all 3 readings sources.

Reaction Paper 5: Due June 12 11:59 PM

What factors help to explain for the fact that both the prison system and the death penalty are disproportionately used with minorities? How have recent policy changes in who goes to prison and for how long only made these imbalances worse? What policy changes would you suggest that might rectify this situation?

Submitting Reaction Papers: Please name your papers using your last name followed by the number of the reaction paper. Thus, reaction paper 3 submitted by Bob Jones would be named with the filename jones3.doc. Please send reaction papers to the instructor (in Word format if at all possible) by using the Digital Drop Box feature within Blackboard.

Follow the steps below to access the Digital Drop Box.

Step 1 Click the Student Tools Button.

Step 2 Click Digital Drop Box in the Student Tools area.

Step 3 Click Send File. Browse to the Location of the Document on your Computer’s Hard Drive to Upload the Document. (Note: “Add File” Button only uploads the file to your personal drop box, not to the instructor)

B. Weekly discussion forum question

These will be posted within the Campus Web site at: https://campus.fsu.edu/webapps/login
As the semester started on a Wednesday, these will be due by Tuesday night by 11:59 PM.

For example, for week one, post by next Tuesday night at 11:59 PM your thoughts on the following questions:

Do you think, on the basis of your own experience or research, that there is substantial racial discrimination in the American criminal justice system today? If so, how important a problem is it?

Format:

	10-15 pages (If the paper falls short, points will be deducted).
	double-spaced and NO spaces in-between paragraphs
	12 Pts. font max. Standard font, such as Times New Roman (If using Arial or Currier no larger than 11Pts)
	Margins on the paper should be 1” all around
	Justification can be set on left or full
	A title page is required
	Pages are to be numbered
	The use of complete sentences and paragraph breaks are required.
	Must be submitted in APA format, according to instructor’s handout, including the use of in-text citations. All references must be used for citation purposes inside the paper.
	A minimum of 12 sources is required, only two can be non-scholarly.
	Paper must follow 1^st paragraph format and include a conclusion
	You may not use the textbook as a source.

Points will be deducted if this format is not followed. If the paper contains no citations, is plagiarized, or is turned in late, a zero will be given.

For a discussion of what constitutes academic literature, and how to find it, see: http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/book/chapter8.htm

For how to get to sources available through the FSU Library, see this document.

The paper will use APA format for reference page and internal citations. See: http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/ccj2020/apa.htm FOLLOW THIS EXACTLY!

All material, not your own, will be cited. Papers will be graded on content, punctuation, and grammar. Papers missing proper citations will be graded down as this is a form of academic dishonesty.

For complete paper writing guidelines, including citation and plagiarism rules, see: http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/ccj2020/paperguidelines.htm

The first paragraph of any writing assignment is the most important. In effect, the first paragraph should serve as an outline or abstract of your paper. The major theme or topic of your paper should be stated in the very first sentence. Each following sentence or section in the first paragraph should introduce the various subtopics of the paper in sequential order. The second paragraph should then introduce your first subtopic, and so on.

A sample outline in APA format is also available in Microsoft Word format, download from: http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/ccj2020/apa-paperoutline.doc

Grading Criteria:

Weekly Discussion Forums 100 points (20 each week)

5 Reaction Papers 250 points (50 each paper)

Course Term Paper 150 points

500 Total

Grading Scale : 465-500 A

450-464 A-

430-449 B+

411-429 B

400-410 B-

380-399 C+

370-379 C

350-369 C-

Honor Code: Students are expected to uphold the Academic Honor Code published in The Florida State University Bulletin and the Student Handbook.

The Academic Honor System of The Florida State University is based on the premise that each student has the responsibility (1) to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in the student’s own work, (2) to refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity in the university community, and (3) to foster a high sense of integrity and social responsibility on the part of the university community.

Violations listed below will be prosecuted. Examples have been provided for the purpose of illustration and are not intended to be all-inclusive.

1. PLAGIARISM. Intentionally presenting the work of another as one's own (i.e., without proper acknowledgement of the source).

Typical Examples Include: Using another's work from print, web, or other sources without acknowledging the source; quoting from a source without citation; using facts, figures, graphs, charts or information without acknowledgement of the source.

2. CHEATING. Improper application of any information or material that is used in evaluating academic work.

Typical Examples Include: Copying from another student's paper or receiving unauthorized assistance during a quiz, test or examination; using books, notes or other devices (e.g., calculators, cell phones, or computers) when these are not authorized; procuring without authorization a copy of or information about an examination before the scheduled exercise; unauthorized collaboration on exams.

3. UNAUTHORIZED GROUP WORK. Unauthorized collaborating with others.

Typical Examples Include: Working with another person or persons on any activity that is intended to be individual work, where such collaboration has not been specifically authorized by the instructor.

4. FABRICATION, FALSIFICATION, AND MISREPRESENTATION. Intentional and unauthorized altering or inventing of any information or citation that is used in assessing academic work.

Typical Examples Include: Inventing or counterfeiting data or information; falsely citing the source of information; altering the record of or reporting false information about practicum or clinical experiences; altering grade reports or other academic records; submitting a false excuse for absence or tardiness in a scheduled academic exercise; lying to an instructor to increase a grade.

5. MULTIPLE SUBMISSION. Submitting the same academic work (including oral presentations) for credit more than once without instructor permission. It is each instructor’s responsibility to make expectations regarding incorporation of existing academic work into new assignments clear to the student in writing by the time assignments are given.

Typical Examples Include: Submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without instructor permission; making minor revisions in a credited paper or report (including oral presentations) and submitting it again as if it were new work.

6. ABUSE OF ACADEMIC MATERIALS. Intentionally damaging, destroying, stealing, or making inaccessible library or other academic resource material.

Typical Examples Include: Stealing or destroying library or reference materials needed for common academic purposes; hiding resource materials so others may not use them; destroying computer programs or files needed in academic work; stealing, altering, or intentionally damaging another student's notes or laboratory experiments. (This refers only to abuse as related to an academic issue.)

7. COMPLICITY IN ACADEMIC DISHONESTY. Intentionally helping another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.

Typical Examples Include: Knowingly allowing another to copy from one's paper during an examination or test; distributing test questions or substantive information about the material to be tested before a scheduled exercise; deliberately furnishing false information.

8. Intentionally using another student’s PRS transmitter to gain class credit is an honor code violation. All students involved in such behavior will automatically lose all PRS credit for the semester.

9. ATTEMPTING to commit any offense as outlined above.

Students with disabilities: Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: (1) be registered with the Student Disability Resource Center on his or her own campus; (2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class. This syllabus may be made available in an alternate format upon request.

More info at: http://www.fsu.edu/~staffair/dean/StudentDisability/