CRIM 4311: Crime and Public Policy

Spring, 2011

I. Course Navigation:
Before you begin work, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with this web-based course. The course is online in
an asynchronous format, i.e., you do not have to come to campus and you do not have to be online at the same time as
your professor or classmates. You can complete your course by navigating around the eLearning CRIM 4311 homepage
and reading the materials specified on it and through the material in the organizers on that page. We will utilize the
assessment, discussion, mail, announcement, who’s online, and my grade tools which are all available to you on the
menu on the homepage. If you have any questions about how to access any of the course materials or assignments
please email me at sarah.maxwell@utdallas.edu. You must check your email in the eLearning course site at least three
times per week for emails and announcements. Remember this is your classroom so please feel comfortable asking me
any questions which you would ordinarily ask in class.

II. Professor Contact Information:

Dr. Sarah Maxwell, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Education, EPPS. GR 2.210 972-883-6469
Students are strongly encouraged to use email as the primary method of communication. Your professor checks email
several times per day and you can normally expect a response within 8 hours or sooner.
Office Hours: Students should feel free to contact the professor at any time by email. Appointments may be arranged at
times available to both student and professor for those requiring an in person visit. I truly enjoy meeting the students, so
please stop by just to introduce yourself. I am typically in my office in the mornings, and out most Wednesdays in
meetings.
Technical Support: If you experience difficulties with your UTD account you may send an email to assist@utdallas.edu or
call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.

III. Course Description:

CRIM 4311 Crime and Justice Policy (3 semester hours) Provides in-depth analysis of crime and the efforts to control
crime through public policy. Although crime is most often committed by private persons against individual victims, crime
is a public problem and society's reaction to crime and criminals is one of the most controversial areas of public policy.
Crime control, deterrence and incapacitation, gun control, law enforcement, and court processes are just a few of the
areas in which public opinion and policy are in current controversy and debate.

IV. Overall Learning Outcomes: (each chapter in the text will contain specific learning objectives for that chapter)
A. Comprehend the various explanations given for the recent crime decline
B. Differentiate between contextual and policy factors that together affect crime rates
C. Understand the differences between conservative and liberal approaches to crime and crime control
D. Describe the victims’ rights movement by identifying those who have been involved in it, the timeframe in which
it has unfolded, associated laws and acts, and the critique of the movement
E. Assess the important part handguns play in America’s unique crime problem of lethal violence by summarizing
the evidence on gun-related violence
F. Define rehabilitation and differentiate between rehabilitation and other crime control policies
G. Describe the broad contributions drugs have had on issues in the U.S.
H. Review and analyze the policy recommendations provided by evaluative research

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V. Required Text and course materials:
Walker, Samuel. (2008). Sense and Nonsense about Crime, Drugs, and Communities: A Policy Guide, 7th Edition.
(purchase ebook or rental)
http://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/en/US/storefront/US?cmd=catProductDetail&productID=5782419421023337452105204781888263545

A hard copy of this text can also be purchased at Off Campus Books or the UTD Bookstore or on various online bookstores. This
book is also available on Kindle.

VI. Grades
Are based on the following scale: A+=98-100, A=94-97, A-=90-93: B+=87-89, B=84-86, B-=80-83, C+77-79, C=74-76, C-=70-73,
D+=67-69, D=64-66, D-=60-63, F=0-59. Please note that there is no extra credit work available in this class and each student
should strive to do his or her best work on each and every grading event.

70% of total grade 30%of total grade

QUIZZES REACTION ESSAYS
(70 Points total) (30 Points Total )
Quizzes will be 20 questions each (10 per chapter)– You
will not have time to look up every answer, so read
carefully and highlight BEFORE the quiz
 Quizzes 1-7 (10 points each); 2 hours each, online, Answer to the discussion questions must be posted on the
open-book; questions from textbook discussion board in essay format of 500 words or more per answer
with two external references per answer.
Each quiz is available online for one week (Friday to
Friday), due midnight on the posted date. Students  Essay grade 1( 10 points)
may take the quiz anytime during that one week  Essay grade 2 (10 points)
period.
 Essay grade 3 (10 points)

Your grades will be posted to the eLearning grade book with a running average in the Total column. Your final grade is out of 100.

Incomplete Grade Policy: As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the
semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8)
weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the
incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Quizzes and Examinations: All quizzes are open book. QUIZZES AND TESTS WILL BE OPEN FOR ONE WEEK. STUDENTS MAY TAKE
THEM ANY TIME DURING THE SCHEDULED WEEK. THEREFORE, NO LATE QUIZZES OR TESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. IF A STUDENT IS
SEVERELY ILL, HAS A FAMILY TRAGEDY, ETC. WRITTEN DOCUMENTAITON FROM A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL SHOWING THAT THE
STUDENT WAS ILL FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK WILL BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN AN EXCUSE FOR A MISSING QUIZ OR TEST. Your score will
be posted in percentage format in your grade book with a maximum score of 100% on each. Please be aware that the quizzes are
rigorous, and you will be given a maximum of two hours to complete each quiz. Please read and study the text in detail before
beginning the quiz.

Discussion Board Questions/Essays: Three discussion questions/reaction essays must be answered with each item worth 10
points for a cumulative score of 30 points. . Discussion Board items may be posted early if the student wishes. Due dates for the
postings are detailed in the Course Calendar of the course Syllabus. Questions not posted by the due dates will be reduced one letter
grade per calendar day (i.e., one minute after midnight and every 24 hours after). Discussion question answers must be the
student’s own original work, must be 500 words or longer, and each answer must be followed by the bibliographic information
with two sources of information (do not use the textbook as a bibliographical source). In other words, please treat each discussion
question as a short paper. Answers that are simply copied and moved from any other site that are not the original work of the
student posting the answer will receive a grade of zero unless properly cited and the student will be referred for disciplinary action
by the university.

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Responses: Students are also encouraged to briefly and respectfully comment on other students’ discussion posts. There is no
length requirement for the responses to other student answers. Your responses should be based on the substantive content of their
posting and must address the content of their answer. DO NOT criticize the other student or make negative references about the
student.

Attention to proper writing and correct spelling when posting the discussion questions and responses is expected and is a part of the
grade received for the assignment. Use proper grammar and spelling. Do not use any type of abbreviations not found in a commonly
accepted, standardized English dictionary. All comments posted by students must be in formal language with no intolerant, rude,
abusive, or obscene language. Violations of this policy will be referred for disciplinary action with the recommendation that the
student be expelled from the class.

Introductions: Students should go to the discussion board and post a brief introduction about themselves during the first week of
class. Please do not post addresses or other personal contact information on the discussion board. Give a brief summary about
yourself including what year you are in, your major, and any future career goals if you have formulated them.

Netiquette: Please express all posted comments in formal English without street jargon or employment related jargon, acronyms, or
abbreviations that will not be understood by all students. Avoid being critical of your fellow classmates and focus your responses to
the content of what they posted. Do not make emotional outbursts on the discussion page and always remember that anything you
post will be retained exactly as you post it for a long time and can be referred to exactly as you post it in the future. Some yes and no
rules to follow in the course:

 No, you should not try to use humor as it sometimes comes across online with unintended consequences.
 Remember that even if you are posting your comments in the privacy of your home, they will be viewed online exactly as
comments would be viewed in a live classroom.

VII. COURSE CALENDAR AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

WEEK Dates READING ASSIGNMENT ASSESSMENT

1 January 10-14th
2 January 18th-22nd
3 January 24th-28th
4 January 31st-February
4th
5 February 7th- 11th
th
6 February 14 – 18
7 February 21st-25th
8 February 28th – March 7. Lock ‘Em Up
4th
th th
9 March 7 – 11
Syllabus
PART 1: THINKING CLEARLY ABOUT CRIME
1. Crime and Policy: A
Complex Problem
2. Models of Criminal Quiz 1 Due 1/28 by midnight
Justice (covers chapter 1-2)
3. The Going Rate Discussion
Question/Reaction
Essay 1 Due February
4th by midnight
4. The Prediction Problem Quiz 2 Due 2/11 by midnight
(Covers Chapter 3-4)
“GET TOUGH”: THE CONSERVATIVE ATTACK ON CRIME
th
5. Unleash the Cops!
6. Deter the Criminals. Quiz 3 Due February 25th by
midnight (covers chapters 5-6)
Discussion
Question/Reaction
Essay 2 due March 4th
by midnight
8. Close the Loopholes Quiz 4 Due March 11 by
midnight (covers chapters 7-8)
SPRING BREAK
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 PART III: THE MIDDLE GROUND: VICTIMS AND GUNS.
st th
10 March 21 – 25 9. Protect Crime Victims
th st
11 March 28 –April 1 10. Control Gun Crimes Quiz 5 Due March 25th by
midnight (covers chapters 9-10)
PART IV: REFORM: THE LIBERAL PRESCRIPTION
12 April 4th -8th 11. Treat ‘Em! Discussion
Question/Reaction
Essay 3 due by
midnight April 8th
13 April 11th – 15th 12. Gain Compliance with Quiz 6 Due April 15th by
the Law midnight (covers chapters 11-
12)
PART V: THE DRUG PROBLEM
14 April 18th – 22nd 13. Sense and Nonsense
about Drugs and Crime
PART VI: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: CRIME AND COMMUNITY
15 April 25th – 29th 14. Putting it All Together
nd
16 May 2 Last day of Quiz Due by Monday 5/2
UTD Classes midnight covers Chapters 13-
14

VIII. UT Dallas Policies

http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies