Unit III & Unit VI Assignments

BCJ 2501, Criminology 1

Course Description Explores the study of crime and crime causation theories, including traditional and modern approaches and emerging technological innovations as well as social policy.

Course Textbook Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminology today: An integrative introduction (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Course Learning Outcomes Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Define terms related to the study of crime and relate those terms to present day crime issues. 2. Analyze the concept of criminology and evaluate the applicability of criminology to crime solutions. 3. Examine research and data collection methods used in criminology and employ those tools as guides for

interpreting recent research. 4. Describe the basic concepts of biological theories of criminal behavior and assess the related scientific research

substantiating these theories. 5. Distinguish between various types of crimes and distinguish characteristics applicable to criminals involved in

each type of crime. 6. Evaluate methods used to effectively deal with crimes and assess the variability of the methods in respect to the

varying types of crimes. 7. Analyze the relationship between drugs and crime and evaluate recent studies attempting to thwart this

relationship. 8. Assess laws and social policies established to address crime in the United States and determine how these laws

are crime specific. 9. Examine the future of crime and estimate the changes in society that will require new laws based on multicultural

communities.

Credits Upon completion of this course, the students will earn three (3) hours of college credit.

Course Structure

1. Unit Learning Outcomes: Each unit contains Unit Learning Outcomes that specify the measurable skills and knowledge students should gain upon completion of the unit.

2. Unit Lesson: Each unit contains a Unit Lesson, which discusses lesson material. 3. Reading Assignments: Each unit contains Reading Assignments from one or more chapters from the textbook.

Supplemental Readings are provided in Units I-III and V-VIII to aid students in their course of study. Chapter presentations are provided in each unit study guide as supplemental reading to aid students their course of study.

4. Learning Activities (Non-Graded): These non-graded Learning Activities are provided in each unit to aid students in their course of study.

5. Key Terms: Key Terms are intended to guide students in their course of study. Students should pay particular attention to Key Terms as they represent important concepts within the unit material and reading.

6. Discussion Boards: Discussion Boards are a part of all CSU term courses. Information and specifications regarding these assignments are provided in the Academic Policies listed in the Course Menu bar.

BCJ 2501, Criminology Course Syllabus

BCJ 2501, Criminology 2

7. Unit Assessments: This course contains eight Unit Assessments, one to be completed at the end of each unit. Assessments are composed of matching, multiple-choice questions, and/or written response questions.

8. Unit Assignments: Students are required to submit for grading assignments in Units III and VI. Specific information and instructions regarding this assignment are provided below. Grading rubrics are included with the Unit III and VI Assignments. Specific information about accessing these rubrics is provided below.

9. Final Exam (Proctored): Students are to complete a Final Exam in Unit VIII. All Final Exams are proctored—see below for additional information. You are permitted four (4) hours to complete this exam, in the presence of your approved proctor. This is an open book exam. Only course textbooks and a calculator, if necessary, are allowed when taking proctored exams. The Final Exam is composed of written response questions.

10. Ask the Professor: This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content related questions.

11. Student Break Room: This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates.

CSU Online Library There is a virtual library with resources, including both journals and ebooks, to support your program and your course at Columbia Southern University. eResources are accessible 24 hours a day/7 days a week from the CSU Online Library gateway page. To access the library, log into myCSU, and then click on CSU Online Library. Resources are organized in the library by title, but if you click on Research Guides, you will find eResources arranged by subject. The Library Reference service is available 7 days a week; you can reach CSU’s virtual librarians by emailing [email protected]. These professional librarians will be glad to help you develop your research plan or to assist you in any way in finding relevant, appropriate, and timely information. Librarian responses may occur within minutes or hours, but it will never take more than 24 hours for a librarian to send a response to the email address you have provided. Replies to reference requests may include customized keyword search strategies, links to videos, research guides, screen captures, attachments, a phone call, live screen sharing, and meeting room appointments, as well as other forms of instruction.

Unit Assignments Unit III Research Paper Research the 1927 U.S. Supreme Court case of Buck v. Bell, which involved state-enforced eugenic sterilization for people who were considered feebleminded or otherwise genetically inferior. Write a minimum 1000-word research paper on your findings. Summarize the case, define the eugenic movement, and discuss its role in this case. Also, address Oliver Wendell Holmes’s statement, “It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind.” Answer the following questions:

 What happened to eugenics, particularly enforced sterilization, in the years following the Supreme Court’s findings in the Buck v. Bell case? What is the current legal status of enforced sterilization in the U.S.?

 Is the study of genetics, especially heredity, sufficiently predictable to justify using it to make decisions such as those imposed on Carrie Buck? Should genetics be used as the basis for any type of legal decision? Support your answers.

Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below. Unit VI Case Study This article review assignment requires that students go to the CSU Online Library, ProQuest Criminal Justice database, and read the article, “Tracking the CybercrimeTrail,” by Bryan Sartin, and answer the following questions:

 What problem was identified? What steps were taken to solve the problem?

 Various stages of the investigation were focused on different goals. Briefly list and describe what these were as the investigation progressed and what strategies were employed.

 Identifying and catching the criminal was not the only purpose for this investigation—what else needed to be done, and how was it to be accomplished?

BCJ 2501, Criminology 3

 What type(s) of cybercrime was/were involved in this article? Does the identified offender fit the characteristics for this type of cybercrime?

NOTE: In order to access the article, type “CybercrimeTrail” as one word, if searching by article name. Your assignment should be a minimum of three pages long, and you should use APA formatting. And references used should be properly cited. Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.

APA Guidelines CSU requires that students use APA style for papers and projects. Therefore, the APA rules for formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed. Students can find CSU’s Citation Guide in the myCSU Student Portal by clicking on the “Citation Resources” link in the “Learning Resources” area of the myCSU Student Portal. This document includes examples and sample papers and provides information on how to contact the CSU Success Center.

Blackboard Grading Rubrics One or more assignments in this course utilizes a Blackboard Grading Rubric. A rubric is a tool that lists evaluation criteria and can help you organize your efforts to meet the requirements of an assignment. Your professor will use the Blackboard Grading Rubric to assign points and provide feedback for the assignment. You are encouraged to view the assignment rubric before submitting your work. This will allow you to review the evaluation criteria as you prepare your assignments. You may access the rubric in “My Grades” through the “Tools” button in your course menu. Click the “View Rubric” link to see the evaluation criteria for the assignment. Upon receiving your assignment grade, you may view your grade breakdown and feedback in the rubric.

CSU Grading Rubrics for Papers/Projects, Discussion Boards, and Assessments The Learning Resource area of the myCSU Student Portal provides the rubrics, and information on how to use them, for Discussion Boards, written response questions in Unit Assessments, and Research Papers/Projects. The course writing assignments will be graded based on the CSU Grading Rubric for all types of writing assignments, unless otherwise specified within assignment instructions. In addition, all papers will be submitted for electronic evaluation to rule out plagiarism. Course projects will contain project specific grading criteria defined in the project directions. To view the rubrics, click the Academic Policies link on the Course Menu, or access it through the CSU Grading Rubric link found in the Learning Resources area of the myCSU Student Portal.

Final Examination Guidelines Final Exams are to be administered to students by an approved Proctor. CSU approves two, flexible proctoring options: a standard Proctor, who is chosen by the student and approved by the university, or Remote Proctor Now (RP Now), an on- demand, third-party testing service that proctors examinations for a small fee. Students choosing RP Now must have an operational webcam/video with audio, a high-speed internet connection, and the appropriate system rights required to download and install software. To review the complete Examination Proctor Policy, including a list of acceptable Proctors, Proctor responsibilities, Proctor approval procedures, and the Proctor Agreement Form, go to the myCSU Student Portal from the link below. http://mycsu.columbiasouthern.edu You are permitted four (4) hours to complete this exam, in the presence of your approved Proctor. This is an open book exam. Only course textbooks, writing utensil, and a calculator, if necessary, are allowed when taking proctored exams.