Course Description:
CRIMLJUS 7330 Law as Social Control
| Course Number: | CRIMLJUS 7330 |
| Course Name: | Law as Social Control |
| Course Description: | An analysis of the needs, functions, utilization and effects of informal and formal social control mechanisms; theoretical perspectives on social control and law, and empirical examination of theories of law as a social control mechanism. |
| Prerequisites: | None |
| Level: | Graduate |
| Credits: | 3 |
| Format: | Online |
| Semesters Offered: |
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| Registration Instructions |
Additional Information
Learning Outcomes
- Appraise the historical development of social control in the United States.
- Compare and contrast the consensus and conflict perspectives of society.
- Distinguish and analyze the various sources of law and their purposes in this country.
- Differentiate various laws and impacts on formal and informal social control mechanisms.
- Differentiate and evaluate the various methods of inquiry.
- Compare and contrast the various theoretical perspectives of social control.
- Assess various mechanisms of social control.
- Have an understanding of the critical role class structure and one’s social standing plays in the commission, enforcement, and punishment of crime in the U.S.
- Critically analyze how law behaves in relation to one’s class standing, racial make-up, and gender.
- Distinguish the effects one’s race has on how laws are created, enforced, and punishment is applied.
- Understand the racial inequality present in the criminal justice system.
- Describe how females have been affected by the gender equality movement in relation to their involvement in crime, victimization, and punishment.
- Appraise the role of corrections as a means of social control.
- Compare and contrast the various enforcement strategies and alternatives to incarceration.
Assess the effectiveness of various crime control programs like gun control and drug policies.
Unit Descriptions
Unit 1: Foundations and the Context of Law
Overview
This unit focuses on the historical development of social control inside the United States, as well as the origination of laws, their effect on social control, and differing perspectives that can emerge in a society.
Unit 2: Research, Theory, Change, and Organization
Overview
This unit covers the various methods of inquiry, theoretical perspectives of social control, and the mechanisms that are implemented to achieve social control.
Unit 3: The Role of Class, Race, and Gender in Law and Social Control
Overview
This unit focuses on how race, class, and gender influence punishment, law creation, and enforcement in a society. Pay special attention to the inequalities centered around race and gender.
Unit 4: Punishment and Alternate Measures
Overview
This unit discusses the role corrections plays as a form of social control as well as enforcement strategies and alternatives to incarceration.
Number of Exams
There is 1 final exam for this course.
Number of Assignments
There are 8 assignments, 9 discussion postings, a presentation, and a research paper for this course.
Number of Projects
There are 2 group projects for this course.
Grading Information
Grading Criteria
Assignments POINT VALUE
1st week exercise (What is Social Control?) 5 points
1st week discussion (post 2 responses to classmates’ exercises or posts) (2.5 points each) 5 points
4 Exams with 2 questions each (30 points each) 120 points
Research
Outline 10 points
Paper 70 points
PowerPoint 20 points
Discussion of PowerPoint presentations (at least 2 substantive posts on 4 different days) (5 points each) 40 points
Group Projects
Problem Statement (approx. 1 page in length) 10 points
Participation (at least 6 substantive posts distributed over at least 4 days during group project week) (5 points each) 180 points
Project Outcome Paper (approx. 2 pages in length) 20 points
TOTAL 480 points
Grading Scale
90–100% = A 405–480 points
80–89% = B 360–404 points
70–79% = C 315–359 points
This is a graduate-level course. You must earn a “C” or better in order for the credits to count toward your degree.