160 sp05 sequence new

CJ 160 SEC 001 - SPRING 2005

Introduction to Research Methods in Criminal Justice

Sequence of Topics and Readings

CLICK HERE to go to lists of questions to accompany readings

NOTE:

this is subject to change, as time and class needs dictate. TEST WEEKS ARE ONLY APPROXIMATE. Be sure to check back.
Jacobs' two books you are expected to purchase. We will be placing online pages from GUNS IN AMERICA and some other readings. RMCJ (Research Methods in Criminal Justice) is ON RESERVE. The first two weeks worth are also now available ONLINE.
For the online material, click on the links on this page
You want to have these readings completed by the BEGINNING of the week listed

WEEK OF TOPIC AND READING

1/18 DRINKING AND DRIVING: AN AMERICAN TRADITION/AN AMERICAN DILEMMA
Introduction. What is drunk driving? How do we define it? How do we measure it? Can we "grade" it? Are all forms equally serious? Constructs and Indicators.
READ:
JACOBS - DRUNK DRIVING: Introduction; Ch. 1, 6, 7
RMCJ: 38-46; 100-111 (reserve) or CLICK HERE

1/24 How big a problem is drunk driving? Where can we go to find out how much drunk driving is taking place? What are the RATES (incidence, prevalence)? Can we measure DUI separate from its impacts? Reading and constructing charts and graphs
READ:
JACOBS-DRUNK DRIVING: Ch. 2, 3, 4
READ: RMCJ 77-94; 111-118 (reserve) OR CLICK HERE

1/31 Test 1 (approximately)
Learning more about DUI impacts: The SOURCEBOOK; A first look at WEB sources

2/7 Samples, Surveys and attitudes toward drinking and driving; toward DUI
READ:
RMCJ 183-206 CLICK HERE ; 235-263 CLICK HERE

2/14 More on Samples and Surveys and Americans' Attitudes and Your Attitudes
Reliability, validity and baloney
READ:
RMCJ 131-178

2/21 What can be done to prevent/reduce DUI? Experiments, Quasi-Experiments, and Evaluations
READ:
JACOBS-DRUNK DRIVING: Ch. 9, 11, 12, AND pp. 173-180
RMCJ 266-291 (reserve)
*** ARTICLE BY HINGSON (online)*** click here
Questions to answer while you read Hingson 1) what is dependent variable 2) what is independent variable 3) what hypothesis was tested? 4) what impact did the independent variable have on the dependent variable 5) how can we be sure

2/28 More on Interventions
Test 2 (approximately)

3/7 BREAK WEEK

3/14 GUNS AND HANDGUNS: ANOTHER AMERICAN TRADITION/DILEMMA
Identifying the constructs in the debate, and the important background factors
What are the big questions?
What are the big constructs?
Understanding Quasi-Experimental Designs to help us gauge impacts of major policy initiatives
IN CLASS: Who favors more gun controls?
READ
RMCJ 266-291 CLICK HERE
JACOBS, GUN CONTROL?: Chs. 1-3 (pp. 1 - 60)

3/21 EVALUATION: BRADY LAW - What is it supposed to do and what did it do?: AGGREGATE
The quasi-experimental design and internal validity
READ
JACOBS, GUN CONTROL? Chapters 4-7 (61-122)
Ludwig and Cook, JAMA 2001 CLICK HERE

3/28 EVALUATION: BRADY LAW - What is it supposed to do and what did it do?: INDIVIDUAL LEVEL Blocked purchasers
Another Type of Quasi-Experiment: Matched Control
READ
Wright, Wintemute and Rivara CLICK HERE
GUNS IN AMERICA: 31-56 (TO BE POSTED ONLINE)
READ/REREAD: RMCJ 38-53 CLICK HERE

4/4 EVALUATION: 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and questions of external validity
READ:
ROTH AND KOPER (online): (CLICK HERE)
Test 3 - approximately
Starting on:
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL GUN RELATED CONSTRUCTS AND SURVEY METHODOLOGY

4/11 INDIVIDUAL LEVEL GUN RELATED CONSTRUCTS AND SURVEY METHODOLOGY
Introduction: Three Issues: Gun Possession, Gun Owning Households and Defensive Gun Use
Introduction to the 1995 Guns in America survey
READ:
RMCJ: 235-261 CLICK HERE ON SURVEYS
GUNS IN AMERICA: 1-28 CLICK HERE 31-56 CLICK HERE

4/18 Defensive Gun Uses and Gun Owning Households
Conclusions about DGUs and survey methodology
Research Methods and Ethics
Evaluating Web Sites
READ:
GUNS IN AMERICA 57-76 CLICK HERE
RMCJ 54-73 CLICK HERE
BATF SPEAKER COULD BE THIS WEEK

4/25 Research Methods and Ethics
Evaluating Web Sites
Gun owning households
READ:
http://libweb.sonoma.edu/assistance/eval.html
http://libweb.sonoma.edu/assistance/citingweb.html
RECOMMENDED READING:
RMCJ 208-231 CLICK HERE

5/2 MONDAY 5/2 IS THE LAST DAY OF CLASSES
TUESDAY 5/3 AND 5/4 ARE STUDY DAYS

5/9 FINAL EXAM PERIOD FOR THIS COURSE IS TUESDAY MAY 10TH, FROM 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM THE LAST TEST WILL BE DELIVERED DURING THIS PERIOD. THERE ALSO MAY BE (NOT DECIDED YET) AN EXTRA CREDIT OPTION

WEEK OF	TOPIC AND READING
1/18	DRINKING AND DRIVING: AN AMERICAN TRADITION/AN AMERICAN DILEMMA Introduction. What is drunk driving? How do we define it? How do we measure it? Can we "grade" it? Are all forms equally serious? Constructs and Indicators. READ: JACOBS - DRUNK DRIVING: Introduction; Ch. 1, 6, 7 RMCJ: 38-46; 100-111 (reserve) or CLICK HERE
1/24	How big a problem is drunk driving? Where can we go to find out how much drunk driving is taking place? What are the RATES (incidence, prevalence)? Can we measure DUI separate from its impacts? Reading and constructing charts and graphs READ: JACOBS-DRUNK DRIVING: Ch. 2, 3, 4 READ: RMCJ 77-94; 111-118 (reserve) OR CLICK HERE
1/31	Test 1 (approximately) Learning more about DUI impacts: The SOURCEBOOK; A first look at WEB sources
2/7	Samples, Surveys and attitudes toward drinking and driving; toward DUI READ: RMCJ 183-206 CLICK HERE ; 235-263 CLICK HERE
2/14	More on Samples and Surveys and Americans' Attitudes and Your Attitudes Reliability, validity and baloney READ: RMCJ 131-178
2/21	What can be done to prevent/reduce DUI? Experiments, Quasi-Experiments, and Evaluations READ: JACOBS-DRUNK DRIVING: Ch. 9, 11, 12, AND pp. 173-180 RMCJ 266-291 (reserve) * ARTICLE BY HINGSON (online)* click here Questions to answer while you read Hingson 1) what is dependent variable 2) what is independent variable 3) what hypothesis was tested? 4) what impact did the independent variable have on the dependent variable 5) how can we be sure
2/28	More on Interventions Test 2 (approximately)
3/7	BREAK WEEK
3/14	GUNS AND HANDGUNS: ANOTHER AMERICAN TRADITION/DILEMMA Identifying the constructs in the debate, and the important background factors What are the big questions? What are the big constructs? Understanding Quasi-Experimental Designs to help us gauge impacts of major policy initiatives IN CLASS: Who favors more gun controls? READ RMCJ 266-291 CLICK HERE JACOBS, GUN CONTROL?: Chs. 1-3 (pp. 1 - 60)
3/21	EVALUATION: BRADY LAW - What is it supposed to do and what did it do?: AGGREGATE The quasi-experimental design and internal validity READ JACOBS, GUN CONTROL? Chapters 4-7 (61-122) Ludwig and Cook, JAMA 2001 CLICK HERE
3/28	EVALUATION: BRADY LAW - What is it supposed to do and what did it do?: INDIVIDUAL LEVEL Blocked purchasers Another Type of Quasi-Experiment: Matched Control READ Wright, Wintemute and Rivara CLICK HERE GUNS IN AMERICA: 31-56 (TO BE POSTED ONLINE) READ/REREAD: RMCJ 38-53 CLICK HERE
4/4	EVALUATION: 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and questions of external validity READ: ROTH AND KOPER (online): (CLICK HERE) Test 3 - approximately Starting on: INDIVIDUAL LEVEL GUN RELATED CONSTRUCTS AND SURVEY METHODOLOGY
4/11	INDIVIDUAL LEVEL GUN RELATED CONSTRUCTS AND SURVEY METHODOLOGY Introduction: Three Issues: Gun Possession, Gun Owning Households and Defensive Gun Use Introduction to the 1995 Guns in America survey READ: RMCJ: 235-261 CLICK HERE ON SURVEYS GUNS IN AMERICA: 1-28 CLICK HERE 31-56 CLICK HERE
4/18	Defensive Gun Uses and Gun Owning Households Conclusions about DGUs and survey methodology Research Methods and Ethics Evaluating Web Sites READ: GUNS IN AMERICA 57-76 CLICK HERE RMCJ 54-73 CLICK HERE BATF SPEAKER COULD BE THIS WEEK
4/25	Research Methods and Ethics Evaluating Web Sites Gun owning households READ: http://libweb.sonoma.edu/assistance/eval.html http://libweb.sonoma.edu/assistance/citingweb.html RECOMMENDED READING: RMCJ 208-231 CLICK HERE
5/2	MONDAY 5/2 IS THE LAST DAY OF CLASSES TUESDAY 5/3 AND 5/4 ARE STUDY DAYS
5/9	FINAL EXAM PERIOD FOR THIS COURSE IS TUESDAY MAY 10TH, FROM 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM THE LAST TEST WILL BE DELIVERED DURING THIS PERIOD. THERE ALSO MAY BE (NOT DECIDED YET) AN EXTRA CREDIT OPTION