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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: October 30, 2008
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ/SOCA 365 Race, Crime, Law

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.

"Race, Crime, Law" Cards

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Week 10: Week of November 2, 2008

In order to stay on track, you should be researching your pre-approved visual project topic now!! Plan to incorporate a "little something" for individuals to take with that summarizes/symbolizes your visual project topic, (i.e., bookmark, handout, card).

Topic: Race & Sentencing

Preparatory Readings:

• Richard Delgado & Jean Stefancic. The Derrick Bell Reader . Chapter 11.
• Samuel Walker and others. The Color of Justice. -- Chapter 7.
• Gordon Fellman. Rambo and the Dalai Lama. -- entire book!!
• Documentary: "Chicano!" (to be shown in class)
  
  

Lecture related links:

• Race, Ethnicity, and the Criminal Justice System
• Sticks and Stones -- Labelling Matters.
  
• W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
  
• other Gordon Fellman related materials on the Dear Habermas site.
• "Who's Habermas? Why Habermas?"
  
  

Concepts to be covered:

• mandatory sentencing
• indeterminate sentencing v. determinate sentencing
• "three-strikes" law
• truth-in-sentencing
• disparity
• contextual discrimination

Discussion Questions:

Note: In order to answer these discussion questions, you will need to view "Chicano!." Incorporate the assigned readings for this week in your answers.




1. Why is the evidence of racial disparity in sentencing not necessarily evidence of racial discrimination in sentencing? What are the alternative explanations? Which explanation do you agree with? Why. [Walker, Q.1]
2. Some researchers argue that racial stereotypes affect the ways in which decision makers, including criminal justice officials, evaluate the behavior of minorities. What are the stereotypes associated with African Americans? Latinos/as? American Indians? Asian Americans? Euro Americans? How might these stereotypes affect judges' sentencing decisions? [Walker Q.2] What would Fellman and Bell say? Why. Incorporate this week's documentary into your answer here.
3. Research reveals that young, unemployed African American and Hispanic males pay a higher punishment penalty than other types of offenders. What accounts for this? [Walker, Q.5] How does this relate to "Chicano!"?
4. The sentencing reforms adopted during the past three decades were designed to structure discretion and eliminate unwarranted disparity in sentence outcomes. Has this goal been achieved? [Walker, Q.10] What might Fellman and Bell advocate? Why.
5. Do some whites take pleasure in inflicting pain on the downtrodden? ... Or is blaming and reviling blacks a convenient excuse or scapegoat for white failings and guilt? [D&S, p. 337]

Suggested Visual Projects/Creative Measures:

Note: Start thinking about ideas for your visual projects/creative measures. Must relate to "race, crime, law." Must be approved before starting your creative measure. Cannot be something that you are doing or have done for another course. 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). You are expected to turn in a bibliography with each visual project. No term papers! Allow time to dialogue and present your creative measure in class. Email me your ideas ASAP.

• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. An excellent resource for juvenile justice related issues.
  
• National Criminal Justice Resource Service. Administered by the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
  
  

• Make A Box a Week focusing on this week's topic, "Race & Sentencing."
• Research your state's sentencing reform efforts during the past twenty years, including an analysis of the effects of such reforms on the duration of the averaage sentences served for various serious crimes, (from instructor's manual).
• Talk to a local judge about the sentencing process and the factors he/she considers when making a sentencing decision. [from instructor's manual]
• Discuss the 100-to-1 federal sentencing differentiual for possession of crack cocaine versus possession of powder cocaing. [from instructor's manual]
• Examine the most recent research on race and sentencing.
  
• When does race matter when it comes to sentencing?
  
• Explore sentencing and the War on Drugs.
  
• Go to the county courthouse, and observe "law in action." Relate your observations to this week's readings.
  
  
• Examine Race, Ethnicity, and the Criminal Justice System published by the American Sociological Association (September 2007).
• Research the Dalai Lama -- his past and present.
• Research "forgiveness". Begin with these books: Martha Minow, Between Vengeance and Forgiveness. Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness.

Self-Assessment Questions for each Visual Project:

1. 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). What small item did you create to "give away" to those visiting your visual project?
2. Explain in depth, how your visual project specifically relates to "race, crime, law" (i.e., the readings, the documentaries, class discussions, major concepts). Demonstrate the interrelationship between "theory, policy, practice" in your visual project. What did you learn?
3. 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.