CRMJ/SOCA 385: Media, Crime, Criminal Justice.

A Justice Site

Media, Crime, Criminal Justice
Fall 2008
Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP - Archives

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: November 6, 2008
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ 385 Media, Crime, Criminal Justice
You will be held accountable for the readings and discussion questions 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.

"Media, Crime, Criminal Justice" Cards

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Week 11: Week of November 9, 2008

Noon, Monday, November 10th - Deadline to email me your second visual project topic for preapproval.
Monday, November 17th -- Deadline for one-page second visual project progress report. You should be researching your pre-approved visual project topic, right now.
Topic: Media and Juvenile Delinquency
Preparatory Readings:

juvenile delinquency related handouts to be distributed in class
Rafter . Shots in the Mirror. Chapters --.
Surette . Media, Crime and Criminal Justice . Chapters --
Potter and Kappeler. Constructing Crime. - Chapters 6, 11, 15.
Featurettes from "Holes" (to be shown in class)

Metaphor and Theory. Read the Blind Men and the Elephant fable. Think about how this fable relates to the course.
"theory, policy, practice"
W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation

Lecture related links:

Sociology of Knowledge Files
Ray Surette's website
Internet Movie Database

Concepts to be covered:

juvenile delinquent
differences between the juvenile justice system and the adult criminal justice system
status offense
juveniles waived into adult court
gangs
youth violence
delinquency intervention & prevention
D.A.R.E.

Discussion Questions:

Note: Incorporate this week's featurettes into your answers.

After viewing "Holes," what does this movie tell us about juvenile delinquency and the juvenile justice system? In your opinion, what was the director's purpose in making this movie? How does this movie compare to other media images of juvenile delinquency? Why.
What are some media images of today's youth? Are these media images more positive or more negative? Why.
Does the public's perception of youth crime match the official data? Why? Explain the role of the media and politics in shaping juvenile justice policy. [M&B:156].
What elements are needed to create successful programs? What role can politicians play in this process? Can the media also become involved? How? [M&B:156]
Why has juvenile justice become such a "hot button" issue? What effect has its predominance had on our policy initiatives? How do you foresee its position in the future? [M&B:156]

Suggested Visual Projects/Creative Measures:
Note: Your visual projects/creative measure: a) Must relate to "media, crime, and the criminal justice system." b) Must be approved before starting your creative measure. c) Cannot be something that you are doing or have done for another course. d) Research cannot be 100% online (i.e., google, askjeeves). e) Must conduct library research using scholarly works, (not the popular press -- Time Magazine, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated). No term papers! Email me your visual project idea/topic.

Make an "explosion box" or a card that focuses on this week's topic, "Media & Juvenile Delinquency ."
Watch a recent movie on youth gangs. Next, watch a movie on youth gangs that was made over 10-20 years ago. Have the images of youth gangs changed over time? Why or why not.
Do juvenile boot camps work?
Examine one of the widely publicized delinquency prevention programs (i.e., DARE, GREAT). Does the program work? Why.
Visit the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention website above. What are some recent initiatives that they are publicizing the most? Why.

Self-Assessment Questions for each Visual Project:

List the names of the individuals in your group. What did you do exactly for this visual project? (If in a group, explain the division of labor and your individual contribution to this visual project). Describe the small item that you made for visitors to your visual project to "take away."
Explain in depth, how your visual project specifically relates to "media, crime, criminal justice" (i.e., the readings, the documentaries, class discussions, major concepts). Explain how the interrelationship of "theory, policy, practice" applies to your visual project. What did you learn?
Assess how the 6Cs apply to your visual project, with special attention on competence and creativity. What is your visual project self-assessment (provide a letter grade) ___ ? Explain why this particular grade.

Recommended Readings:

Anthony Platt. Child Savers.
Anne Campbell. Girls in Gangs.
Will Hobbs. Downriver and the sequel, River Thunder.
Louis Sachar. Holes and the sequel, Small Steps.
Walter Myers. Monster.
Geoffrey Canada. Fist Stick Knife Gun.
Carl Hiassen, Hoot.
Christopher Paul Curtis. Bud, Not Buddy.
Susan Patron. The Higher Power of Lucky.

Internet Movie Database

Lawrence Lessig. Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity. Lawrence Lessig, a law professor at Stanford University, has made his book free online.
Course Syllabus for CRMJ 385 "Media, Crime, Criminal Justice"

Media Sources:

Left/Right Perspectives - Cursor - New York Times
Arts and Letters Daily - The Economist - The Guardian
Wall Street Journal -The Weekly Standard - The Nation
Los Angeles Times - Chicago Tribune - The Washington Post
Cursor's Al Jazeera Archive - Ha'aretz - Palestine Monitor

Indymedia - BBC News - New Profile - Progressive Sociologists Network

takata@uwp.edu

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