Criminology (CRIM)

CRIM 101 Introduction to Criminology (3 credits)

General Education: Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing

This course provides a general introduction to the study of crime, deviance, and crime control. Course material will cover crime measurement, patterns, and trends as well as major theoretical explanations for crime. Criminal justice institutions such as police, courts, and corrections will be considered along with specific topics as they relate to criminology. These topics include social deviance, violence, white collar crime, terrorism, vice, drug use, organized crime, mental health issues, racial inequalities, women and crime, and the depiction of crime in popular media and culture. Specific crime control policies are also considered. Typically Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer.

CRIM 201 Justice Institutions (3 credits)

An introduction to the history, processes, practices, and functions of the justice system in the United States. The course focuses primarily on policing, courts, and corrections. Typically Offered: Spring.

CRIM 204 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)

Credit arranged

CRIM 301 Criminological Theory (3 credits)

Review and assessment of common explanations of crime, deviant behavior, and control. May include field trips.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 302 Research Methods in Criminology (3 credits)

This course will prepare students to conduct criminological research using a range of social science methods. The course is divided into four sections. In the first section, the class will explore the logic and process of social scientific research, with a focus on the connection between theory and methods, strategies of research design, the ethical responsibilities of researchers, and issues in sampling and measurement. The second section of the course examines some of the common data gathering techniques used by criminologists, such as experimental research, survey design, policy analysis, evaluation research, secondary analysis, crime mapping, and network analysis. The third section of the course examines the logic of qualitative research methods, including focus groups, interviewing, and ethnography. In the final section of the course, students use social science data to examine key strategies and techniques in quantitative data management and analysis. Typically Offered: Varies.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

Coreqs: None

CRIM 320 Deviant Behavior (3 credits)

This course is a critical examination of the relationship between deviance and social control. It will investigate how and why certain forms of behavior come to be known as deviant, analyze the nature of formal and informal responses to deviance, and explain the interaction of different social control institutions. Specific topics may include corruption, drug use, prostitution, criminal violence, gangs, corporate crime, and heroic deviance. Typically Offered: Spring.

Prereqs: CRIM 101 or SOC 101

CRIM 325 Family Violence (3 credits)

This course provides a broad multidisciplinary look at the topic of family violence, which brings in both qualitative and quantitative research from the fields of criminology, sociology, and psychology. It covers the history of family violence and its gradual emergence as a social problem, current theories and research methods used to explain and study family violence, the different types of family violence, the structural and cultural antecedents of family violence, and the intervention/prevention strategies used to address and stop family violence. Typically Offered: Fall.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 329 Homicide (3 credits)

This course provides an analysis of the dynamics and processes associated with various types of homicides, as well as the theoretical explanations of homicide. Topics may include familial homicide, serial homicide, homicide associated with cults, and gang-related homicide, among others. Issues related to criminal justice processing of offenders are also discussed. Typically Offered: Varies.

Prereqs: CRIM 101.

CRIM 330 Juvenile Delinquency (3 credits)

This course surveys the topic of juvenile delinquency. It covers the historical emergence of juvenile delinquency as a social problem and how it differs from adult crime, the research methods and data used to track patterns and trends in juvenile delinquency, the theoretical mechanisms and social contexts that help us understand the prevalence of delinquency, and an in-depth examination of the juvenile justice system. Typically Offered: Fall.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 332 Punishment and Corrections (3 credits)

This course will provide an introduction to the study of punishment and corrections. The course will explore a range of issues, such as the social history of criminal punishment, patterns in imprisonment, inmate subculture, private prisons, and contemporary correctional policies and practices. Throughout the course, attention will be devoted to how policy decisions about punishment and corrections affect local communities. May include field trips. Typically Offered: Spring.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 333 Elite and White Collar Crime (3 credits)

The costs, causes, and control of crime by and against businesses and other organizations; the relationship between trust and white collar crime; the impact of the media in shaping perceptions of white collar crime. Typically Offered: Spring (Even Years).

CRIM 334 Policing (3 credits)

This course approaches the study of the police in the United States and abroad from a criminological perspective. Particular attention will be paid to municipal policing and will examine its history, its organizational structure and subculture, its evolving roles within the urban environment, and its relationship to changing patterns in crime rates. The course will also examine substantive problems in policing, including use of force, police misconduct, and the difficulties associated with bringing about organizational reform. Typically Offered: Fall.

CRIM 335 Terrorism & Counterterrorism (3 credits)

This course focuses on trends, tactics, issues, and contexts facilitating extremist behaviors in the United States and around the world. The course also examines counterterrorism and political and social responses to extremism. Typically Offered: Varies.

CRIM 336 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (3 credits)

General Education: International, Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing

Gen Ed: Social Science, International Comparative study of justice systems in selected foreign countries. (Alt/years)

Prereqs: SOC 101

CRIM 337 Violent Crime (3 credits)

Explores the sources and types of violence, victims of violence, impact of firearms on violence, responses to violence by intergovernmental, national criminal justice systems, and non-state actors, and ways to reduce violence in society. Typically Offered: Spring and Spring (Odd Years).

Prereqs: CRIM 101 or Instructor Permission

CRIM 338 Vice Crime (3 credits)

This course explores the intersection of morality, law, and criminal justice through the examination of “vice” crime, such as illegal drug use, gambling, and sex work. The goal of the class is to explore the socially constructed nature of vice and examine the different socio-legal strategies that have been mobilized to control vice, such as criminalization, decriminalization, regulation, and harm reduction. Typically Offered: Spring.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 339 Crime and the Media (3 credits)

Cross-listed with JAMM 339

Critical evaluation of the media portrayals of crime and the criminal justice system; analysis of how the media help to shape public understanding and public policy.

CRIM 340 Sex Crimes (3 credits)

This course explores various aspects of sexual crimes, offenders, and deviance. Topics may include, but are not limited to, historical and current perspectives of sex offender legislation, victimization issues, theoretical explanations, and processing offenders in the criminal justice system. Special focus will be placed on sexual offenses and sexual deviance in various locations and settings.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 344 Criminology and Video Games (3 credits)

This course takes a criminological approach to the study of video games and gaming. Topics may include crime typologies, depictions of and implications of violence, and representation of criminal justice agencies such as law enforcement and corrections. Demographic representations, such as gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and age in games and gaming environments are also explored as they relate to issues such as gamer identities and representations in gaming spaces. Other current issues may also be covered. Typically Offered: Varies.

CRIM 404 (s) Special Topic (1-16 credits)

Credit arranged

CRIM 415 Citizen's Police Academy (3 credits)

Offered only in the spring term, students are acquainted with the activities of a local police department in a community-learning style course. This experience is an opportunity for applied learning in the field. Limited space available. Instructor permission required. Graded Pass/Fail. Graded Pass/Fail. Typically Offered: Spring.

CRIM 420 Substance Use and Crime (3 credits)

This course covers substance use from a criminological perspective. First, the course covers the definitions, patterns, and trends of substance use as well as the methods and data employed in substance use research. Second, the course covers the social and pharmacological nature of different types of substances and the prevalence and consequences of their use. Lastly, the course covers the criminological implications of substance use, including the theories of why people use, theories explaining why use leads to violent crime, the drug trade, the successes and failures of various drug control strategies, and a discussion of alternatives to conventional drug control such as legalization and decriminalization. Typically Offered: Spring.

CRIM 421 Gender and Crime (3 credits)

This course uses sociological and criminological theories to explore the relationship between gender and crime. Topics explore adult and juvenile females and their entry into the criminal justice system as victims and offenders. The course examines the challenges faced by females working in criminal justice (policing, courts, and corrections). Gender is also discussed by considering issues faced by the LGBT community in terms of how particular behaviors are criminalized, how LGBT individuals are treated within and by the criminal justice system. Typically Offered: Varies.

Prereqs: SOC 101 or CRIM 101.

CRIM 435 Psychopathy and Crime (3 credits)

This course provides a general introduction to psychopathy. Emphasis is placed on the perceptions, misconceptions, and the realities of the relationship between psychopathy and crime. In addition, the course explores the historical development of psychopathy, key diagnostic criteria, and the biological and psychological correlates of the disorder.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 436 Mental Health and Crime (3 credits)

This course examines the historical and contemporary relationships between mental health and criminal/deviant behavior. Emphasis is placed on the criminalization of mental illness, the reciprocal influence between mental health and criminal offending, and the role of clinical diagnoses in the criminal justice system.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 439 Inequalities in the Justice System (3 credits)

General Education: American Diversity, Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing

Critical focus on the issues of race, class, and gender and their consequences for the operation of the justice system; the role of the justice system in the history and experience of various minorities, theories of minority crime, and issues of selective enforcement, sentencing disparity, and disproportionate incarceration; the role of gender considered through the examination of offenders, victims, and criminal justice professionals. Typically Offered: Spring.

Prereqs: CRIM 101

CRIM 461 Capstone: Justice Policy Issues (3 credits)

General Education: Senior Experience

This course offers a critical analysis of contemporary criminal justice policies and practices in the United States. The course emphasizes a hands-on approach; through structured debates, critical case study analysis, and research projects, students explore the inner workings of the criminal justice system and its many strengths and weaknesses. Typically Offered: Varies.

Prereqs: CRIM 101 and CRIM 301

CRIM 462 (s) Senior Practicum (3 credits)

General Education: Senior Experience

This capstone course allows advanced criminology students to complete a practicum with an organization or agency as they approach the end of their academic program. The practicum allows students to integrate and apply their criminological knowledge and training in "real world" settings, and the course culminates in the production of a large capstone project. The range of possible practicum sites will vary according to the intellectual and career interests of the students but may include criminal justice agencies, non-profit organizations, social service providers, or local research organizations. Typically Offered: Varies.

Prereqs: Instructor Permission

CRIM 464 Criminology Abroad (3 credits)

General Education: Senior Experience

Criminology Abroad combines a 10-day intensive study abroad experience (typically a faculty-led trip over spring break), along with instruction in comparative criminology. Besides an experience abroad, a student completes a directed research project related to criminology in the visited country.

Prereqs: SOC 101

CRIM 466 Inside Out (3-6 credits, max arranged)

Inside Out is a prison exchange class that takes place within a correctional institution in Idaho. The course focuses on a variety of topics ranging from philosophical perspectives of justice to historical perceptions of biology and crime. The class includes both university and incarcerated students and emphasizes peer learning and collaboration.

Prereqs: CRIM 101 or SOC 101; Instructor Permission required

CRIM 498 (s) Internship (1-6 credits)

Supervised professional field experience in a criminology-related organization.

CRIM 499 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)

Intended to accommodate a wide variety of criminological topics.

Prereqs: Criminology Major

CRIM 506 Advanced Criminological Theory (3 credits)

This course provides a detailed summary of the development of criminological thought throughout the ages. Students will explore the evolving nature of criminological theorizing over time, beginning with Greek Antiquity, progressing through the Middle Ages, the Age of Reason, the Scientific Revolution, and ending with present day. Students will critically assess theoretical constructs and assumptions, identifying and challenging their strengths and weaknesses. In addition, students will examine the relationship between theory and policy, reflecting on the role that theory plays in historical and contemporary criminal justice systems in Western nations. Typically Offered: Fall.

CRIM 507 Justice Institutions (3 credits)

This course will offer an examination of the criminal justice system in the United States. In the first part of the course, students will examine the history and organization of criminal justice in the United States and analyze the key differences between the U. S. and other countries. The second part of the course will explore the most pressing issues and trends in policing, courts, and corrections. While the topics covered will vary from year-to-year, they may include issues such as police use of deadly force, race/ethnicity and sentencing outcomes, alternatives to incarceration, capital punishment, mental health and prisons, and prisoner re-entry. Typically Offered: Spring.

CRIM 511 Data Analysis in Criminology (3 credits)

This course covers research design, data collection, and data analysis using a hands-on approach. The course considers general themes such as the logic of inquiry and the appropriateness of methodological approaches, as well as more specific topics such as quantitative data sourcing, sampling, and measurement. It provides students with the opportunity to learn and apply different quantitative tools for social science research, including descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and multivariate inference. Typically Offered: Fall.

CRIM 512 Qualitative Methods in Criminology (3 credits)

This course develops an understanding of the application of criminological qualitative research. This course will cover various qualitative methodologies such as interviewing, content analysis, ethnography, participant observation, and case studies. Typically Offered: Spring.

CRIM 530 Criminology in Practice (1-2 credits, max 3)

The course will explore issues in professionalism and career development with the overall goal of helping students develop the social and cultural capital necessary to be successful in the field. The core topics of the class will include career paths in criminology and criminal justice, principles of professional communication, strategies for succeeding in the job market, advanced topics in library research, strategies for publishing academic research, and ethical issues in criminology and criminal justice. Typically Offered: Varies.

CRIM 541 (s) (s) Crime Causation Topics (3 credits, max 6)

This course provides an intensive examination of specific explanations of crime. Subject matter may vary between years. Typically Offered: Varies.

CRIM 542 (s) (s) Victimization Topics (3 credits, max 6)

This course examines topics relating to criminal victimization, such as victims’ rights, criminal justice system processing, and victim advocacy, as well as the impact of crime on individual victims, communities, and society. May include both primary and secondary victimization discussions. Subject matter may vary between years. Typically Offered: Varies.

CRIM 543 (s) (s) Justice Studies Topics (3 credits, max 6)

This course examines topics relating to criminal justice institutions including detailed examinations of the policies, programs and practices of police, courts, corrections, and other related agencies. Subject matter may vary between years. Typically Offered: Varies.

CRIM 544 (s) (s) Topics in Crime Types (3 credits, max 9)

This course focuses on a selected crime typology, including definitions of sub-typologies, theoretical explanations, rates and measurement, interpersonal dynamics between victims and offenders, and policy implications. Subject matter will vary each year. Typically Offered: Varies.