2. Pick 5 issues of any academic Criminology or Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Journal from1990-2002. Survey the articles for: types of subjects being covered; types of research methods being used; and paradigms being used. What kind of patterns are there? Use the library or the Internet to find the journals applicable here. (50 pts)
3. Describe your experience, feelings, and thoughts if you have everr been the victim of a felonious activity. Do any of the theories of causation or theories of victimization help you to better understand what happened to you? (35 pts)
4. Watch either any Network News (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX) or Local News Channels for FIVE DAYS. Take note of the pieces dealing with crime, criminals, or the criminal justice system...relating them to the "criminological paradigms" we have covered. What issues and patterns do you notice? (50 pts)
5. Do some "undercover" research of your own: by telephone answer some employment "want-ads"...AS AN EX-INMATE. Use real ads from local papers, constructing a "cover-story" about your "past". Do at least five (5) of these and write up your results. If on the phone, attempt to "qualify" yourself...ie. get them to sort of interview you. If in person, (and again, if brave enough) try for an interview. Make note of not only what was said to you, but also HOW it was said. Be careful...don't break the law, though!! See me if you do this one.(50 pts)
6. Conduct a face to face interview with someone such as...an ex-inmate, a Correctional officer, a victim of a felony, a police officer...or anyone else working in the CJ System. Ask them questions pertinent to their "position"...varying these questions according to whom you're talking to. If you need help, see me. (50 pts)
7. Select a particular criminal activity and research how it has been dealt with ... historically. Note the differences and similarities to today. Restrict yourself to Euro-American societies. (30 pts)
8. Watch an entertainment feature-length movie dealing with some aspect of Crime or the CJ System. Analyze it as to what paradigms and theories it illustrates, how it portrays offenders and officials, and the image of crime it presents. See the Guidelines for a Critical Review(20-50 pts).
9. A very much debated topic these days is whether or not inmates should be able to take college courses while in prison. Write a 2-3 page paper arguing BOTH (all) "sides" to this issue. (30 pts)
10. Research the Criminal Code for a town of any size...or for the state of Oregon...searching for antiquated laws still on the books, that involve behaviors which nowadays are considered okay or even merely tolerated, but which are still, technically, criminal offenses. See how many you can find and what they tell us about past values. You may use multiple town codes if you can't find enough in just one. (50 pts)
11. Look at three (3) issues of the Eugene Register-Guard or the Salem Statesman-Journal or The Oregonian for articles dealing with some aspect of crime, criminals, or the CJ System. What kind(s) of crime get reported on, how much emphasis do they receive, what explanations...if any...are suggested or implied for what is or why something happened? Also, what's going on in the social context in which these activities are taking place? Does the commercial nature of these papers play any obvious role in what they select to report or comment on? Are they merely reflecting what the "public" (which one?) is interested in...or is it "telling" its readership what to worry about? (50 pts)
12. There are a number of current entertainment TV shows in primetime dealing with crime and law enforcement and the judiciary. Pick TWO of these shows...watch 1 episode of each) Use the Guidelines online under “Assignment Instructions“ to analyze the portrayal of crime and criminals by the entertainment media.(50 pts)
Law & Order (Wednesday NBC)
Law & Order SVU (Special Victims Unit) (Friday NBC)
Law & Order CI (Criminal Intent) (Sunday NBC)
NYPD Blue (Tuesday ABC)
The Practice (Monday ABC)
Boomtown (Sunday NBC)
Crossing Jordan (Monday NBC)
ALSO: numerous reruns of L & O on TNT at various times
ALSO: suggest other shows if these aren’t to your liking
13. Do a small survey about people's perceptions about prisons (pick anything about prisons...see me if you need help). Survey 8 people...4 without any college & 4 with a degree of some sort. Split each group of 4 into 2 males and 2 females. Half of each group of 4 should be under 30 and half should be over 30. If you need help with questions, contact me. Write up your findings and interpretation of them.(50 pts)
14. Prepare a list of three (3) entertainment movies from 1960-2002 which you think would be appropriate for a course in Crime and Society. Give a brief synopsis of the story and then the details of why it IS appropriate (i.e. what criminological paradigms and theories does it illustrate, etc.). (30 pts)
15. Interview five (5) local merchants (Owners or Managers who hire) in different types of businesses ...about hiring ex-offenders. Will they? If not, why not? If yes, all or any or only certain ones (i.e. according to the crime they committed)? Any precautions they would take? For any job in the company or only for certain ones? Watch for attitudes behind their words. See what you can detect about what some consider to be a very sensitive issue. When all interviews are completed, write a summary observation of the whole experience. (50 pts)
16. Conduct two interviews with college students (who are NOT in our SOC 134 class) concerning the Techniques of Neutralization...as explained in Berger/Free/Searles on p. 138. See the Guidelines online under “Assignment Instructions.” (30 pts)
17. Are there any differences that you can detect between males and females about their basic perceptions of laws and crimes? Develop a short survey (5 questions...max) to try to tap into any such differences. Interview three (3) people of each gender. Tabulate and evaluate your findings. (50 pts)
18. Although "crime" and "normal business" are seemingly very different realities, select three (3) criminal activities (EXCEPT murder or manslaughter) and three (3) business activities and compare them as to their similar principles or assumptions and patterns underlying the different surface realities and appearances...and definitions. (35 pts)
19. Arrange to travel with (ride along) a Police Officer on a tour of duty. Observe and explain...among other things...the atmosphere on the job, the officer's attitudes toward the job and the people encountered, the attitudes of the people who ARE encountered, and anything else you find relevant. Try to talk to the officer AFTER the tour of duty ABOUT what you observed or thought...if possible. See me if you need help preparing for this activity.(50 pts)
20. Arrange to "tag along" with some type of official in some phase of the CJ system. The purpose of this would be to observe and explain their job from their point of view...and then to analyze it on the basis of what we've been studying and what you observed. (50 pts)
21. Make contact with and speak to a representative of any non-governmental organization which focuses on or deals with either "inmate rights" or "victim rights." Describe the what, why, and how of their focus and efforts. Contact could be in person, on phone, or via email. (50 pts)
22. Keep a "log/journal" over a two week period of conversations had or heard, newspaper articles, magazine articles, TV shows, news broadcasts, or even thoughts of your own...about criminological topics and the CJ System. Describe each entry and summarize your findings in a concluding section. (40 pts)
23. Visit a courtroom in session and observe the "interactions" going on...both the formal ones from a legal point of view and the social interactions (how they are taking each other into account). Try to be sensitive to atmosphere, tone of voice used, dress, and other signs of definitions of the situation. (50 pts)
