CR 1500 - Introduction to Criminology

Credits: 4

This course will provide students with an introduction to the social scientific study of crime. Students will explore quantitative and qualitative evidence concerning various types of crime (e.g. murder, robbery, rape, domestic violence, child abuse, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, organized crime, international crime, and white collar crime). Also, they will explore crime statistics concerning the demographic dimensions of crime (i.e. age, race, sex, and class). Students will be provided with a brief introduction to biological, psychological, and sociological explanations of crime, and learn to compare social science and media representations of crime and criminals. Finally, students will learn to assess conservative, liberal and radical explanations of historical crime trends, and to examine the impact of the criminal justice system (i.e. police, courts, corrections) on rates of crime.

When Offered:
Every semester.