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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: March 23, 2006
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ 363: Corrections

You will be held accountable for purposes of grading for the readings and exercises listed here. There will be no "testing." That means that you will not have to live in anxious anticipation of what we will ask and how much you will have to know. Instead, we will provide weekly discussion questions, lectures, essays, and concepts we feel that you should know as a result of having taken this course. You will assure us of that learning and receive your grade for the questions and concepts about which you choose to write and talk with us. In addition you will find detailed explanations and examples on our grading policies in the first week's reading.

* * * * *

Week 11: Week of March 26, 2006

Special Note: Wednesday, March 29th, 12 noon - CRMJ Advising Session in MOLN 105/107.

Topics: Community Corrections/Holes


Preparatory Readings:



• Haas and Alpert. Dilemmas of Corrections. Chapters 27& 28 (from last week).
• Sachar. Holes. Chapters 11-26.
  
  -----If you have read Holes already, read one of the following:
  ----------Louis Sachar. Small Steps (the sequel to Holes.)
  ----------Will Hobbs. Downriver. and the sequel, River Thunder.
  ----------Walter Myers. Monster.
  ----------Walter Myers. Shooter.
  ----------Walter Myers. Dream Bearer.
  ----------Carl Hiaasen. Hoot.
  ----------Christopher Curtis. Bud, Not Buddy.
  ----------or another book focusing on juvenile corrections with the instructor's approval.
  
  
• Hassine. Life Without Parole. entirety.
  
• Documentaries: ---- (to be shown in class)
  
  

Deadlines/Dates:



• Wednesday, March 29th - CRMJ Student Advising Session from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Moln 105 and 107.
• Friday, April 21st, beginning of class (central time) -- The Final Absolute Deadline (completion of all creative measures)
• Friday, May 5th - Last Day of Class




Lecture related links:



• Make a Globe (Origami Balloon). Decorate and share your decorated globe/balloon in class.

• National Institute of Corrections A resource on jails and local detention.
  
• Convicts and Cops A resource on prison tatoos, prison slang terminology, and more!
  
• National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Administered by the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
  
• Maricopa County Sheriff's Office - Jail Link. Link found by Mary Frances Chachula.
  
• Wisconsin Department of Corrections




Concepts to be covered:



• prisoner re-entry
• victim-offender mediation
• juvenile justice system
• status offense
• gangs
• juvenile boot camp



Discussion Questions:



Be sure incorporate the documentary, "---- " into your answers.



1. Based on the Petersilia chapter in H & A, and her article which was distributed on Wednesday, March 22nd, what are the most serious problems relating to prisoner re-entry? Why. What are some possible solutions? Why. What does her research tell us about the interrelationship between "theory, policy, and practice"? Why.
2. Realistically, what can be expected victim-offender mediation? Why.
3. Compare and contrast the formal structure with the informal structure of Camp Green Lake in terms of survival? in terms of "inmate-guard" relations?
4. From a correctional perspective, what is the purpose of digging holes? Why. What does this tell us about correctional "theory, policy, and practice"? Why.
5. What role does race and ethnic relations play in this book, so far? Why. How does this compare to Hassine's observations? Why.



Suggested Creative Measures:




Note: All creative measures must be approved by the instructor before you begin. Email the instructor with your idea. Creative measures cannot be something that you are doing or have done for another course. No term papers. Start thinking about ideas for your creative measures. Must relate to "corrections." Research cannot be 100% online (i.e., google, askjeeves). Must conduct library research using scholarly works, (not the popular press -- Time Magazine, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated). Email me your ideas. Allow time to dialogue and present your creative measures.



• Explore in more depth the problems of prisoner re-entry.
• Examine victim-offender mediation programs. How is success measured?
• Research whether or not juvenile boot camps are successful. In addition, what are today's most successful programs for juveniles? Why. How is success measured? Why.
  
• Other books related to community corrections:
  --- J. Travis. But They all Come Back: Facing the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry.
  --- Jonathon Simons. Poor Discipline: Parole and the Social Control fo the Underclass, 1890-1990.
  
• Other books on juvenile corrections:
  ---------Margaret Peterson Haddix. Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey.
  ----------Sharon G. Flake. Bang!
  ----------Walter Myers. Scorpion.
  ---------Carl Hiaasen. Flush.
  
  

• Make A Box a Week reflecting on the week's correctional issues.
  
• If you enjoyed reading Hassine's Life Without Parole , you might be interested in other prison autobiographies/biographies: a) Jack Henry Abbott. In the Belly of the Beast. b) Leonard Peltier. Prison Writings. c) Eldridge Cleaver. Soul on Ice. d) Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Thirteenth Round. e) Jarvis Jay Masters. Finding Freedom: Writings from Death Row, e) Mumia Abu-Jamal. Live from Death Row., f) The Autobiography of Malcolm X.



Recommended Readings:



• John Irwin. The Warehouse Prison.
  
• John Irwin. The Imprisonment Binge.
  
  
• Alfie Kohn. Beyond Discipline: From Compliance to Community.
• Alfie Kohn. Unconditional Parenting.
  
  

Course Syllabus for CRMJ/SOCA 363 (Corrections)

takata@uwp.edu