SOC 195 – Gender & Crime

Syllabus

Spring Quarter 2018

Course Information Classroom: SS&H 1291

Meeting Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 4:40 PM – 6:00 PM Course Website: https://canvas.ucdavis.edu/courses/231653

Professor Information

Professor: Chris Smith Office: SS&H 2245 Office hours: Tuesdays 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM & Thursdays 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM Email: via Canvas messages

Course Description

Men commit more crime, experience greater criminal justice contact, and are more likely to be victims of violence than women. The gender gap is the largest demographic disparity in crime, and some scholars have called the gender gap in crime "universal." This course examines the gender gap in crime by focusing on how masculinity and femininity shape and are shaped by offending, victimization, and prosecution and how gender and crime differences are compounded by race, class, sexual orientation, nation, and migration status. Starting with historical criminological theories of difference, this course will focus on the following contemporary topics: gendered offending patterns, differences, pathways, street masculinities and femininities, gender-based violence, and gendered forms of punishment.

Course Objectives This course is designed to meet the four following learning objectives. Objective 1: Critical thinking about gender and crime in U.S. society Objective 2: Distinguish between research, news, opinion, and stereotypes on the topic of gender and crime Objective 3: Communicate clearly, precisely, and effectively through writing, speaking, and online interactions

Objective 4: Develop skills in data analysis, teamwork, and evidence-based argument Required Materials

Students need to purchase a copy (electronic or print) of the following books. One copy of each book is available via course reserves at the Shields Library: Jones, Nikki. 2010. Between Good and Ghetto: African American Girls and Inner-City Violence. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Oselin, Sharon S. 2014. Leaving Prostitution: Getting Out and Staying Out of Sex Work. New York: New York University Press. *Oselin’s book is available as an e-book through Shields Library. Panfil, Vanessa R. 2017. The Gang's All Queer: The Lives of Gay Gang Members. New York: New York University Press. Rios, Victor M. 2011. Punished: Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys. New York: New York University Press. All other readings and required media will be made available on Canvas.

Letter to Students

Dear Students, Welcome to Sociology 195 – a special topics seminar on Gender & Crime. This quarter we will examine the gender gap in crime by focusing on how masculinity and femininity shape and are shaped by offending, victimization, and prosecution and how gender and crime differences are compounded by race, class, sexual orientation, nation, and migration status. This quarter I have the unique experience to share my own book manuscript on this topic with you. My final manuscript is due in October. I have my promised my editor that we would read my book, come up with some brilliant discussion questions, and discuss suggestions to appeal to future advanced undergraduate readers. This is a special topics seminar. Instead of quizzes and exams, you will be evaluated on your contributions to class discussion and the quality of your critical thinking and writing. Thoughtful and thorough reading is required for high caliber discussion, critical thinking, and writing. Although this is a reading intensive course, I have selected fascinating books for us to explore and discuss together this quarter. I have spread the writing deadlines out in a way that is meaningful, but to succeed in this course, you should begin reading the books in week 1 in order to get and stay way ahead on the reading. Do not wait to crack the book the week of the assignment deadlines. Start reading today, and probably you won’t even want to put the books down. If reading four books in a quarter seems overwhelming for you, check out the class discussion forum "How to Read." Here I have posted some resources with tips for reading efficiently and effectively. Canvas is our learning management system. Canvas has features that support students with learning accommodations, and Canvas group work features are excellent. It is absolutely essential that students log in to the Canvas site with regularity. I will monitor and evaluate course use, and if necessary individual use, of Canvas. If you are worried that you will forget to check Canvas, you can customize your notification settings in Canvas to sync with other platforms such as email or text messages. UC Davis also supports a Canvas app that is incredibly useful for notifications, but my students have told me that the functionality and design are not as good as the website. Canvas messaging is the best way to get a hold of me for course related questions. I prefer to receive all course related questions and comments through Canvas rather than my regular email. My expectations for you as students are to be professional, complete quality work, follow instructions, strictly follow academic honesty standards, meet the deadlines, come to class prepared, stay on task during class, seek out assistance if you need it, do not share or post course materials online or otherwise without my authorization, and abide by the UC Student Policies (http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/2710530/PACAOS-100) and the UC Davis Code of Academic Conduct (http://sja.ucdavis.edu/files/cac.pdf). I expect students to be productive, honest, and respectful members of this class. I expect professional writing and communication, including online and email correspondence. If you require learning accommodations, please meet with me as soon as possible. These expectations are your guide on how to succeed in this course. I want us to co-create a positive learning environment. Come to class prepared so that we can maximize the quality of our discussions. Ask clarification questions or discussion-generating questions to me and to your classmates. Distinguish between opinions and research. We also need to be respectful of varying points of view. We come from different backgrounds and have different experiences with crime and the criminal justice system. We will also be covering some sensitive topics in this class. Please be mindful and respectful of these varied experiences during our discussion and activities, so that learning can happen for everyone. Our class is committed to the UC Davis Principles of Community. Lastly, attend my office hours. You do not need to have a specific question to attend office hours. We can talk about your progress, you could show me something interesting you found related to the class, we could talk more about your favorite readings, or you could ask me about my job or my research. If you feel shy about attending office hours, please find a classmate to join you so that you can both get more out of this course. I look forward to a great quarter with you. Sincerely,

Grading

Percent of Final Grade

Book Review Papers 50% Book Experts 15% Participation & Discussion 10% Final Project 25%

Assignments

All assignments will be available and submitted through Canvas. Instructions, deadlines, feedback, and grades will also be through Canvas.

Late Work Policy

Early work is welcome; late work is not. All of the work for this course is submitted electronically, which means that deadlines are strictly enforced. Late work will not be accepted.

Course Concepts & Theories

When we are not discussing the assigned books, our class time will be organized around learning, mastering, and applying course concepts and theories on the topic of gender and crime. Concepts & theories will include but are not limited to: double deviance, emancipation theory, pathways, gender gaps in offending, survival crime, code of the streets, gendered violence, hooks for change, relational perspectives, masculinity threat, and criminal justice paternalism. Incorporating and applying the course concepts and theories is a requirement of all of assignments of this course (book review papers, leading discussion, in-class discussion, and final project). To organize learning and note-taking, we will complete these 2-page templates in class for each theory and concept:

Course Concepts & Theories work toward all four course learning objectives.

Soc 195 Gender & Crime Spring 2018

Theories & Concepts Week ____________________________ Date ______________________________

Theory / Concept

Primary Citation

Central Arguments Questions/ Cues

Soc 195 Gender & Crime Spring 2018

Central Questions

Examples

Connections

Student’s Summary

Book Review Papers

Students will write 3-5 page book reviews that summarize the major themes and findings of the book, connect the major themes of the book to a specified number of course theories and concepts, reflect on or critique the deeper importance or contributions of the book, and pose broad questions that generate discussion for the author or the audience. Book review papers provide a gauge of the level of reading, comprehension, and progression students are making throughout the course and work toward all four course learning objectives.

Book reviews are 50 percent of the final grade for Gender & Crime. There are 5 books assigned to this course. Students will earn a letter grade for this assignment group based on the number of book reviews receiving a "pass." For the book review portion of the final grade:

A = pass on 4 book reviews B = pass on 3 book reviews C = pass on 2 book reviews D = pass on 1 book review

Book reviews will be evaluated as "pass" or "no pass." A pass on a book review meets expectations in all categories of the rubric below.

Meets Expectations

Does Not Meet

Expectations Summary -1 page double-spaced -Demonstrates completion and comprehension of the book -Clearly identifies and summarizes the key themes and findings

Connections -1-2 pages double-spaced -Explicitly and accurately connects the book’s major themes to course theories & concepts with proper ASA citation through apply/compare/or contrast -Reviews for book 1 must connect to 1 course theory or concept -Reviews for book 2 must connect to 2 course theories or concepts -Reviews for book 3 must connect to 3 course theories or concepts -Reviews for books 4 and 5 must connect to 4 course theories or concepts

Reflections -1 page double-spaced -Probes the importance of book’s key themes or ideas -(Optional) Effectively and fairly critiques the shortcomings of the key themes or ideas

Questions -0.5 page double-spaced -Pose at least two thoughtful discussion questions -(Optional) Include any remaining clarification questions

References -Includes reference list with appropriate citations in ASA style Writing -Arguments are clear and effectively organized -Writing is professional -Words are carefully selected for impact and precision -Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are used correctly

Book Experts

Students will choose 1 of the 5 course books on which they in a group of 5 students will become the experts. Each student is responsible for reading (and re-reading) the book in advance, working with their team to become experts on that book, and leading a small group discussion in class. Book expert teams will also work with Chris to conduct skype interviews, in person interviews, or media presentations by the authors. The Book Experts assignment works toward all four course learning objectives.

Expert Notes & Questions As a team of experts, you will prepare 1 set of reading notes and discussion questions that each expert will use to lead a small group discussion. The Expert Notes & Questions assignment requires approximately 2 pages of work. The reading notes portion of the assignment may be loosely formatted bullet points, chapter summaries, prose, diagrams, or anything else that helps the group of experts organize their ideas. The reading notes must demonstrate mastery of the material. The questions portion of the assignment requires the team to prepare a set of 8-10 discussion questions to use when leading the small groups. Discussion questions should help students prepare for their book review papers. One book expert from the team needs to take responsibility for submitting the Expert Notes & Questions assignment through Canvas by the deadline for the team. Discussion Leader Each expert will run their own small group discussion for an assigned class. Each expert is responsible for printing their own copy of the submitted Expert Notes & Questions assignment to bring to class. In class, the experts with separate so that each expert is the discussion leader for a small group of non-expert students. All students who come to class are expected to have completed the readings and be prepared for small group discussion. Experts may not have time to cover all the questions in their small group and are free to pursue other questions that arise, but the Expert Notes & Questions assignment serves as the basis of the discussion. At the end of class, the experts will summarize the small group discussions for the entire class and for Chris. Evaluation After class, each expert will turn in a copy of the form below to evaluate their discussion group members and the division of labor of the Expert Notes & Discussion assignment. Chris will assign a letter grade to the team of experts based on the Expert Notes & Questions Assignment, the quality of the classroom discussion, and will make adjustments to individual letter grades based on the division of labor statements.

Soc 195: Book Expert Evaluation

Book Expert’s Name: ________________________________________ Date: ______________________

First and Last Names of Group Members Did this person contribute

to the discussion? Did this person seem to have done the reading?

Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □

Division of Labor Statement:

(1) In a sentence or two, please describe how your team divided the work for the Expert Notes & Questions assignment.

(2) In a sentence. how did you personally contribute to the team’s effort? (use back if needed)

Soc 195: Book Expert Evaluation

Book Expert’s Name: ________________________________________ Date: ______________________

First and Last Names of Group Members Did this person contribute

to the discussion? Did this person seem to have done the reading?

Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □ Yes □ No □

Division of Labor Statement:

(1) In a sentence or two, please describe how your team divided the work for the Expert Notes & Questions assignment.

(2) In a sentence. how did you personally contribute to the team’s effort? (use back if needed)

Participation & Discussion

Students are expected to come to class prepared, stay on task, and participate in small group and large group discussions. Students are expected to participate on the Canvas discussion threads to help each other with assignments. Book experts will evaluate participation in small group discussions they are leading. Below is a description of the consistent level of participation necessary to receive the accompanying grade at the end of the quarter.

A: Student came to class prepared, was a productive and effective classmate, was attentive and engaged during lecture, made meaningful contributions to small groups and to the class as a whole, had an excellent presence on Canvas, stood out as a class leader, and volunteered when help was needed.

B: Student came to class prepared, was a productive and effective classmate, was attentive and engaged during lecture, made meaningful contributions to small groups but less to the class as a whole, had a good presence on Canvas, contributed to the class’ success.

C: Student had regular attendance, came to class prepared, struggled to engage in class discussion but engaged in some small group discussion, had an average presence on Canvas, and did not hinder class’ success.

D: Student was absent, late, or left class early, failed to come to class prepared, struggled to engage in small group and class discussion, were not engaged during lecture, spent minimal time on Canvas, classmates and professor found student unreliable.

F: Student was disruptive to the class, spent time sleeping or playing on phones instead of participating in discussion or lecture, made no meaningful contribution to small groups or to the larger class, and spent inadequate time on Canvas, classmates and professor found student unreliable.

Participation works toward course objective 3 by requiring effective communication through speaking and online presence and engagement and objective 4 by building skills in working in small groups and with teams.

Final Projects

Goal The final project will showcase and assess how well students worked toward the four course leaning objectives: (1) critical thinking about gender and crime in U.S. society, (2) distinguish between research, news, opinion, and stereotypes on the topic of gender and crime, (3) communicate clearly, precisely, and effectively through writing, speaking, and online interactions, and (4) develop skills in data analysis, teamwork, and constructing evidence-based argument.

Prompt The questions for this course are: How do masculinity and femininity shape and how are they shaped by offending, victimization, and prosecution? How are gender and crime differences compounded by race, class, sexual orientation, nation, and migration status? Groups of 2-3 will recap some aspect of what they learned throughout the quarter as a synthetic response to one or a part of these questions. Final projects can include a video/screencast, interactive blog, visual informational packet, research proposal, or some other idea approved by Chris. Groups have some creativity on how exactly they will present the information. Final projects should be created for an outside audience, which means that you should assume that your audience has no background knowledge of gender and crime and is not a criminologist. Requirements -Final projects must incorporate course readings and outside research. -Readings and research must be properly cited and referenced. -Videos or screencasts should be 15 minutes and submitted as a link not a file -In general, text based final projects should be about the length of a 10-page paper double-spaced, shorter if the project is more interactive and graphic. -Final projects must be approved by Chris via the Final Project Proposal assignment

Evaluation The final project is a high stakes assignment worth 25 percent of your final grade. Chris will evaluate these projects on substance and execution. Given the variety of possible projects, a detailed rubric is impossible to streamline and predict. However, in order to achieve an A on the project, Chris will be looking for demonstrations of excellence in the following areas:

Synthesis - how well does the project synthesize course materials and themes into a cohesive unit, are groups demonstrating a broader understanding of the topic or just stringing together small descriptive pieces

Accuracy - how accurate is the information presented in the project, are there mistakes in interpretation and application

Demonstration of knowledge and learning - does the project demonstrate higher level critical thinking and learning, are teams missing opportunities to pose challenging questions or interrogate more complex ideas

Clarity - is the project well organized for a general audience, does it make a clear contribution, is it easy and logical to follow

Quality of submission - are materials well designed, is presentation well executed with excellent speaking

Professionalism - is the project professionally executed, would it be a good representation of course learning and knowledge to an outsider

Readings & research - are course readings and outside research incorporated into the project, is there any point where students are at risk of plagiarizing ideas without properly attributing sources

Division of labor Students should email Chris or attend office hours if there are any problems with their final project group regarding an unfair division of labor. Chris will lower individual grades on the final project accordingly. This will not affect the other teammates' grades.

Course Calendar

*Please read this calendar with excitement and flexibility as it is subject to change.

Week 1 Tuesday April 3

In Class: Welcome & Introductions

Thursday April 5 In Class: Theories & Concepts: The Born Criminal, Gender Gap in Offending

Week 2

Tuesday April 10 In Class: Theories & Concepts

Thursday April 12 In Class: Theories & Concepts

Week 3

Tuesday April 17

Read: Rios, Victor M. 2011. Punished: Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys. New York: New York University Press. Due: Expert Notes & Questions – Rios (2011) Punished In Class: Small Group Discussion – Rios (2011) Punished

Thursday April 19 Due: Book Review Paper 1 – Rios (2011) Punished In Class: Class Discussion – Rios (2011) Punished

Week 4

Tuesday April 24 In Class: Theories & Concepts

Thursday April 26 In Class: Theories & Concepts with Professor McCarthy

Week 5

Tuesday May 1

Read: Jones, Nikki. 2010. Between Good and Ghetto: African American Girls and Inner-City Violence. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Due: Expert Notes & Questions – Jones (2010) Between Good and Ghetto In Class: Small Group Discussion – Jones (2010) Between Good and Ghetto

Thursday May 3

Due: Book Review Paper 2 – Jones (2010) Between Good and Ghetto In Class: Class Discussion – Jones (2010) Between Good and Ghetto

Week 6

Tuesday May 8 In Class: Theories & Concepts

Thursday May 10

Class cancelled for the Aldon Morris Lecture Students are invited to attend this distinguished lecture hosted by the UC Davis Sociology Department 4:10 PM – 6:00 PM, International House

Week 7

Tuesday May 15

Read: Panfil, Vanessa R. 2017. The Gang’s All Queer: The Lives of Gay Gang Members. New York: New York University Press. Due: Expert Notes & Questions – Panfil (2017) Gang’s All Queer In Class: Small Group Discussion – Panfil (2017) Gang’s All Queer

Thursday May 17 Due: Book Review Paper 3 – Panfil (2017) Gang’s All Queer In Class: Skype Interview and Q&A with author Vanessa Panfil

Week 8

Tuesday May 22

Read: Oselin, Sharon S. 2014. Leaving Prostitution: Getting out and Staying out of Sex Work. New York: New York University Press. Due: Expert Notes & Questions – Oselin (2014) Leaving Prostitution In Class: Small Group Discussion – Oselin (2014) Leaving Prostitution

Thursday May 24

Due: Final Project Proposals Due: Book Review Paper 4 – Oselin (2014) Leaving Prostitution In Class: Skype Interview and Q&A with author Sharon Oselin

Week 9

Tuesday May 29

Read: Smith, Chris M. In progress. Syndicate Women: Gender, Geography, and Networks in Chicago Organized Crime. Due: Expert Notes & Questions – Smith (in progress) Syndicate Women In Class: Small Group Discussion – Smith (in progress) Syndicate Women

Thursday May 31 Due: Book Review Paper 5 – Smith (in progress) Syndicate Women In Class: Interview and Q&A with author Chris Smith

Week 10

Tuesday June 5 In Class: Class Discussion with guest speaker, Jess Gold, UC Davis Sociology

Thursday June 8 Due: Final Projects In Class: Final Projects Presentations