Communities and Crime CJ 633
Fall 2003
Sequence of Topics
DATE OF LAST UPDATE: 10/14/03
NOTE: This list is tentative and subject to revision; although I
will try to mention the revisions in class you want to be sure and check back
here on a regular basis.
| Week of | Topic and Readings (readings are to be done BY that week) |
| 9/8/03 | Introduction; thinking about multiple levels, longitudinally |
| 9/15/03 | Stating the three questions that form the core queries;
introducing the COSM model; looking at The Corner as an example READ: S&B, winter, spring; Wilson, W. J. (1996). When Work Disappears. New York: Knopf, pp. 25-86, C&C Chapters 1,2 (emailed on Wednesday 9/10) |
| 9/22/03 | More on the COSM model; getting clear on indicators we
need READ: S&B: summer, fall; Sampson, "Neighborhood effects"; Sampson "Dynamic contextualism" |
| 9/29/03 | The Ecological Model: the basics READ: B&G: 1-59; Bursik, R. J. (1988) Social disorganization and theories of crime and delinquency. Criminology 26, 519-551; C&C, Chapter 3 (emailed on 9/24); Hunter, A. (2003). Social Control. In 1297-1302. In K. Christensen and D. Lewvinson (Eds). Encyclopedia of Community: From the Village to the Virtual World, Volume 3. Thousand Oaks: Sage. |
| 10/6/03 | More on the ecological model; the micro-ecological or
human territorial model; understanding streetblock dynamics READ: HTF: Chapters 5,6,8,11 Taylor, R. B., Gottfredson, S. D., & Brower, S. (1984). Block crime and fear: Local social ties and territorial functioning. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 21, 303-331. |
| 10/13/03 | Microecology; Behavioral geography model and the routine activities
model READ: Taylor, R. B. (1997) Social order and disorder of streetblocks and neighborhoods: Ecology, microecology and the systemic model of social disorganization. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 33, 113-155. |
| 10/20/03 | Midterm |
| 10/27/03 | Behavioral geography; introduction to routine
activities; life style theory and the implications for communities B&G: 60-89 Brantingham, P. J., & Brantingham, P. L. (1991). Introduction: The Dimensions of crime. In P. J. Brantingham & P. L. Brantingham (Eds.), Environmental criminology (Second ed., pp. 7-26). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press. Eck, J. (1995) REVIEW ESSAY: Examining routine activity theory. Justice Quarterly 12, 783-797 Summing up on structural determinants of crime rates; gangs and crime; collective reactions to crime READ: B&G 112-147; BAFBW Chapter 7 |
| 11/3/03 | Minimizing crime's impacts by minimizing disorder: the
incivilities thesis READ: BAFBW, Chs 1-6 DUE: Initial statement on paper project; FIRST CONFERENCE this week |
| 11/10/03 | The conceptual problems with disorder policing and zero
tolerance READ: Harcourt: 1-57, 123-150; 163-214; 221-233 |
| 11/17/03 | Toward a contextualized model, and a consideration of
public housing communities READ: Venkatesh, pages 1-238 DUE: revised statement on paper project; SECOND CONFERENCE this week |
| 11/24/03 | Policy implications for community-crime connections: does
the "wheredunit" revolution move us along? READ: B&G Ch. 6; BAFBW Chs 8,9 |
| 12/1/03 | Paper presentations |
| 12/8/03 | LAST CLASS; Paper presentations |
| 12/15/03 | Second midterm, in-class exam; papers due |