Course Description
Theory and research on urban crime and spatial variation in crime rates; the impact of crime on the structure of communities and its role in neighborhood decline.
Athena Title
Communities and Crime
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in SOCI 3820W, SOCI 3820S
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
The objective of this course is for students to learn the complex interplay of global, national, and local processes which contribute to variation in crime rates across communities, and how these processes differentially affect racial/ethnic groups. Students learn to distinguish between the assumptions which underlie different perspectives on urban social problems and public policy. Students will be asked to demonstrate their mastery of the course content in written work that is appropriate for an academic context.
Topical Outline
Historical overview The Dynamics of Urban Decline The Creation and Perpetuation of Ghetto Neighborhoods The Significance of Race/Ethnicity The Structure of Opportunity & Behavioral Outcomes Social Policy Surviving in the Ghetto – The Role of Gangs Community Crime and Its Control
Syllabus