Class Date (week#) 

Topics to be covered

Reading (texts, materials link)

Assignments Due

 (1)Jan 29

Introduction and overview: Why we study Violence in America.

 DeLisi and Conis, chapter 1

Riedel and Welsh, chapters 1,2,

cspan_presentation

 http://www.globalincidentmap.com/home.php

 (2)feb5

Why have violent crime rates been declining? A Review of the evidence on the  level and rate of various forms of violence

2004 UCR Homicide data

D&C( 2)

R&W(3)

On line reading: Steven Leavitt

Discussion Question 1

 (3)feb12

Murder in the US: An overview of cause, prevention, and control; an examination of  Serial Killers, Spree Killers, and Mass Murderers

Reidel & Welch, chapters 4,  5

D&C(6,8, 11)

 Does Strengthening Self-Defense Law Deter Crime or Escalate Violence? Evidence from Castle Doctrine

castle_doctrine

Discussion Question2

Term paper outline due

Levitt - Understanding Why Crime...

 (4)feb19

Can we prevent homicide? Can we predict violent offenders? Are some types of murder more preventable than others?

D&C, chapter 10

Online readings

Question 3

 http://www.fbi.gov/publications/school/school2.pdf

(5)feb26

Drugs, gangs and violence: myths and realities

R&W ( 12,14);

D&C< chapter 9;

FBI Gang Video

online readings

(6,)March4

Rape and Sexual Assault

W&R (7, 13,14,17

Review sheet for midterm released

(7) March11

MIDTERM EXAM

March 25

Spring Break

(8)

April 1

Violence and sexual assault in the helping professions: Doctors, teachers, therapists, coaches, & caregivers; sex offenders and the internet

D&C (, 16, )

Online reading:

John Jay Study of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church

 (9)

April 8

Robbery; Workplace violence

Online readings ;) R&W (8, 10),

 Crime Mapping and Serial Killing

New Violent Robbery Initiative: Gets Help from an Older Federal Law

(10)

April 15

Cult violence/religion& violence/hate crimes;

R&W (8, 10, 12);

FBI Hate Crime Stats 2008

Term paper Due

Question 4

(11)

April 22

School violence: the legacy of Columbine and Virginia Tech

Case Study : on line reading-Virginia Tech report

R&W, CHAPTER 11

Guide for Preventing and Responding to School Violence

(12)

April 29

Institutional violence case study: Why do we need the Prison Rape Elimination Act? What was the The lesson of Abu Grahib?

R&W (13); Byrne and Hummer on line article on “myths and realities” of prison violence

;

Question 5

(13)

MAY 6

Violence Prevention and Violence control strategies: A Review

D&C, chapter 10

FINAL EXAM REVIEW SHEET

(14)

MAY13

Final Exam