Central Social Problems: Socjology of Crime: Criminal policy debates 3502-CPS-11
The first part of the lecture will be devoted to analyzing the size and determinants of crime. This section will discuss the main theories of crime and social control as well as the results of research testing the assumptions of these theories. The next part of the lecture will be devoted to the analysis of specific proposals in the field of criminal and penal policy. The latter include, The latter include, among others, increasing the severity of criminal sanctions (which is questionable in light of the results of deterrence research), penitentiary reform (including controversies related to the privatization of prisons), restorative justice: a wider use of non-custodial sentences and mediation in criminal cases, punishment of even minor offences in accordance with the "broken windows" theory, criminal prevention based on CCTV and electronic monitoring, and the use of special software and algorithms to identify "dangerous" places and people. The main controversies and dilemmas associated with each of these proposals will be presented and discussed.
Type of course
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
Knows and understands basic concepts of various sub-domains of sociology (e.g. sociology of family, health, work, religion, economy, education, etc)
Is aware of ongoing theoretical and methodological disputes conducted in modern sociology; is reflective and critical of various positions
Has in-depth knowledge about social structures and selected social institutions as well as their interrelations
Is reflective and critical of the problem of social differentiation and inequalities
Has in-depth knowledge about the types of social ties and mechanisms supporting collective governance
Has in-depth knowledge about cultural diversity and its transformations, cultural identity, and intercultural interaction and communication
Has in-depth knowledge about major international and domestic sociological research pertaining to selected areas of social reality or sub-domains of sociology
Has in-depth knowledge of norms and rules governing social structures and institutions
Has in-depth knowledge about the functioning and management of various types of organizations
Has in-depth knowledge of assumptions and claims of selected historical and contemporary sociological theories
Knows how to interpret the role of culture in the life of the individual and society
Is open to various theoretical and methodological perspectives of social research
Assessment criteria
Written exam (test)
Acceptable number of absences: 4
Retake rules: students who failed the written exam are allowed to take an additional oral exam
The total number of hours allocated to this course includes: 30 hours of in-class lecture, 2 hours per week of preparation for class (course-related reading) and 15 hours of preparation for the final exam.
Bibliography
Kiersztyn, A. (2008) Czy bieda czyni złodzieja? Związki między bezrobociem, ubóstwem a przestępczością, WUW, chapters 1-2.
Wilson, J.Q. (1977), Thinking About crime, Vintage Books, chapter „The Police and the Community”.
Tilley N., Farrell G. & Clarke R.V. (2015) Target Suitability and the Crime Drop. In: Andresen M.A., Farrell G. (eds) The Criminal Act. Palgrave Macmillan, London
Dzierzgowski, J. (2007) David Garland i kultura kontroli, Kultura i Społeczeństwo no. 3, s. 93-114
Selznick, P. (1966). Justice without trail. Law enforcement in Democratic Society, ch. 3. A sketch of the Policeman's working personality.
Wacquant, L. (2009). Punishing the Poor. The Neoliberal Government of Social Insecurity.
Christie, N. (2004). “Dogodna ilość przestępstw”.
Wilson, J.Q. & G. Kelling (1982). Broken Windows: The police and neighdorhood safety. The Atlantic Monthly.
Kelling, G.W. & C. Coles (2000) Wybite szyby, Media Rodzina, Poznań.
Taylor, R. (2006). Critic Incivilities reduction policing, zero tolerance, and the retreat from coproduction: Weak foundations and strong pressures. In: Police Innovation: Contrasting Perspectives, D. Weisburd & A. Braga (Eds.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press., s. 98-114.
Pfeiffer, C., M. Windzio, & M. Kleimann (2007) Media, zło i społeczeństwo. Wykorzystanie mediów i ich wpływ na postrzeganie przestępczości i postawy wobec polityki karnej. Archiwum Kryminologii, vol. 28: 33-55.
Schlosser, E. (1998). The Prison-Industrial Complex. The Atlantic Monthly.
Levitt, S. & S. Dubner (2011). “Freakonomia. Świat od podszewki”, Ch. 4 „Gdzie się podziali wszyscy przestępcy?”
Van Ness, D.W. (1993). New wine and old wineskins: Four challenges of restorative justice, Criminal Law Forum 4(2): 251–276
Chan, J., Moses, L.B. (2015). Is Big Data challenging criminology? Theoretical Criminology 20(1): 21-39
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: