Course Description
The relationship between society and the nature and extent of American punishment over time; theories of and justifications for punishment.
Athena Title
Criminal Punishment Society
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in SOCI 3150E
Prerequisite
SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1101H or SOCI 2600 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. To survey historical and contemporary rationales and theories of criminal punishment. 2. To survey legal developments in correctional policy. 3. To analyze the death penalty and the continuing controversy surrounding its use. 4. To address imprisonment issues concerning women, minorities, and juveniles. 5. To examine current and likely future trends in correctional policy and the variety of social factors that influence them. Students will be asked to demonstrate their mastery of the course content in written work that is appropriate for an academic context. Students will be asked to demonstrate their mastery of the course content in speech that is appropriate for an academic context.
Topical Outline
Topics may include the following: 1. The Social Hisory of Punishment 2. Capital Punishment 3. The Social World of Imprisonment 4. Women and Minorities in Prison 5. Juvenile Incarceration 6. Prison discipline 6. Prison riots 8. Alternatives to prison 9. Correctional policy 10. The Future of Punishment
Syllabus