SOC250 — Criminology
This course offers students a sociological perspective on crime and criminal justice in American society. The class investigates differing definitions of the crime problem and explores how people learn about crime, what behaviors they fear, and why some but not all harmful acts are punished by the criminal justice system. Course materials examine connections between biological and social factors that affect violent and impulsive behaviors in certain communities. The class explores how the policies and practices of the criminal justice system respond to street crime and how those responses affect the lives of low-income and racially marginalized populations. The course evaluates the effectiveness of various criminal justice policies.
Prerequisites: SOC150, ENG105