Order instructions

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Define and explain the concepts of crime, criminal law, and criminology.
2. Provide descriptions for sources of crime data and explain the measures and impact of crime data.
3. Compare and contrast the differences between early criminal behavior and today’s modern forms.
4. List and explain the biological and psychological theories of criminal behavior.
5. Explain the sociological theories of criminal behavior using the social structural approach.
6. Explain the sociological theories of criminal behavior using the social-process approach.
7. Distinguish between the various types of crime, those that are more serious than others, and state the impact
each have on society.
8. Define property crime and describe the effect property crimes have on society.
9. Define government and business related crimes and describe the effects on society.
10. Define drug abuse and illegal drug activities and their relationship to organized crime and legitimate business.
11. Identify and describe the major components and characteristics of the U.S. Criminal Justice System.
12. Discuss and explain the evolution of today’s formal policing in the United States.
13. Describe and discuss the components of today’s court system.
14. List the major events and discuss the evolution of today’s prison system in the United States.
15. Explain the use of corrections within the community as alternatives for incarceration.
Credits
Upon completion of this course, the students will earn three (3) hours of college credit.
Course Structure
1. Unit Learning Outcomes: Each unit contains Unit Learning Outcomes that specify the measurable skills and
knowledge students should gain upon completion of the unit.
2. Unit Lesson: Each unit contains a Unit Lesson, which discusses unit material.
3. Reading Assignments: Each unit contains Reading Assignments from one or more chapters from the textbook.
Supplemental Readings are provided in the Unit VII study guide to aid students in their course of study.
4. Key Terms: Key Terms are intended to guide students in their course of study. Students should pay particular
attention to Key Terms as they represent important concepts within the unit material and reading.
5. Unit Assessments: This course contains four Unit Assessments, one to be completed at the end of Unit I, II, IV,
and VI. Assessments are composed of written response questions.
6. Unit Assignments: Students are required to submit for grading Unit Assignments in Units III, V, and VII. Specific
information and instructions regarding these assignments are provided below. A grading rubric is included with
assignment instructions to provide you with a guideline your professor will use to assess your assignment. A

7. Final Exam: Students are to complete a Final Exam in Unit VIII. All Final Exams are proctored—see below for
additional information. You are permitted four (4) hours to complete this exam, in the presence of your approved
proctor. This is an open book exam. Only course textbooks and a calculator, if necessary, are allowed when
taking proctored exams. The Final Exam is composed of multiple-choice questions.
8. Ask the Professor: This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or
course content related questions.
9. Student Break Room: This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates.
CSU Online Library
The CSU Online Library is available to support your courses and programs. The online library includes databases,
journals, e-books, and research guides. These resources are always accessible and can be reached through the library
webpage. To access the library, log into the myCSU Student Portal, and click on “CSU Online Library.” You can also
access the CSU Online Library from the “My Library” button on the course menu for each course in Blackboard.
The CSU Online Library offers several reference services. E-mail ([email protected]) and telephone
(1.877.268.8046) assistance is available Monday – Thursday from 8 am to 5 pm and Friday from 8 am to 3 pm. The
library’s chat reference service, Ask a Librarian, is available 24/7; look for the chat box on the online library page.
Librarians can help you develop your research plan or assist you in finding relevant, appropriate, and timely information.
Reference requests can include customized keyword search strategies, links to articles, database help, and other
services.
Unit Assignments
Research Paper Overview
The paper for this course requires students to select one criminological theory and evaluate how that theory impacts an
individual’s decision to commit crime as well as how it assists criminal justice officials in understanding criminal activity.
This research paper is broken down into the following three components that will be completed during the course:
1. During Unit III, students will submit an overview of their Research Paper and an Annotated Bibliography.
2. During Unit V, students will submit the section of the Research Paper that discusses the selected criminological
theory.
3. During Unit VII, students will submit the Final Research Paper.
More detailed descriptions of each component are provided below. Students will be expected to incorporate any
recommended changes to resources in the Annotated Bibliography and suggested changes to criminological theory
section based upon the feedback from their instructor into their Final Research Paper.
Unit III Research Paper
Part 1: Overview and Annotated Bibliography
Part 1 of the Research Paper includes both an overview of the research project and an Annotated Bibliography. In the
overview section, students must identify the criminological theory that will serve as the basis for their research project and
briefly describe how that theory explains why individuals decide to commit crimes. The overview section should be no
more than two pages in length.
The Annotated Bibliography must include a minimum of six scholarly resources that the student plans to utilize in the
Research Paper. Each resource must be formatted per APA (6th ed.) guidelines, include a brief description of the
information included in the resource, and why it is relevant to the research paper. Students will be allowed to utilize more
scholarly resources in the Final Research Paper as appropriate. The intent of the Annotated Bibliography is to
demonstrate that the student is headed in the right direction with his or her research for the paper.
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology 3
Part 1 of the Research Paper should be approximately four-five pages in length (a two page overview and two-three page
Annotated Bibliography), not counting the cover and reference pages. Please review the general guidelines for papers to
obtain a description of other formatting requirements.
Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.
Unit V Research Paper
Part 2: Criminological Theory
Part 2 of the Research Paper includes the section focused upon the selected criminological theory. In this section,
students will (1) discuss the foundations and principles of the theory, (2) compare and contrast the theory to at least two
other criminological theories, and (3) discuss why this theory was selected to explain why an individual decides to commit
crime as well as how the theory assists criminal justice professionals in understanding criminal activity.
Please note that students are only explaining why the theory was selected in the last part of this section. A full discussion
on the topics highlighted in item three (3) above shows what will be included in the final paper.
In addition to the textbook, students must incorporate at least four additional scholarly resources as part of their
discussion about the selected criminological theory.
Part 2 of the Research Paper should be five-seven pages in length, not counting the cover and reference pages. Please
review the general guidelines for papers to obtain a description of other formatting requirements.
Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.
Unit VII Research Paper
Final Research Paper
During Unit VII, students will submit the Final Research Paper. The Final Research Paper will consist of the following
components: (1) overview section submitted during Unit III; (2) criminological theory section submitted during Unit V; and
(3) evaluation of how the selected theory impacts an individual’s decision to commit crime and how it assists criminal
justice professionals in understanding criminal activity. Information presented in each section should be supported with
scholarly resources.
Sections of the Final Research Paper that were previously submitted in Units III and V must be included:
 Unit III Annotated Bibliography
 Unit V Criminological Theory
Unit III and Unit V must include any updates that were recommended by the course instructor through his or her feedback.
The final section of the paper (Section 3: Evaluation) will be created and submitted with the final draft.
While the level of detail in each section of the Research Paper will vary, it is anticipated that Section 3 will be
approximately three-five pages in length. This should result in a Final Research Paper (Parts 1, 2, and 3) that is 10–14
pages in length, not counting the cover and reference pages. Please review the general guidelines for papers to obtain a
description of other formatting requirements.
General Guidelines for Papers
The following guidelines must be adhered to for the research papers:
 A 12-point Times New Roman font must be used in the paper.
 Double-spacing must be used throughout the paper.
 Page margins must be 1” on each side of the paper (top, bottom, left and right sides).
 A cover and reference page must be included. The cover and reference pages must appear on separate pages from
the rest of the paper and do not count towards any minimum page length requirements.
 All sources utilized to create the paper must be cited and included in the reference list. APA (6th edition) guidelines for
citations and reference listings must be followed.
 Unless otherwise specified, all papers must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document saved as either a .doc or
.docx file. No other formats will be accepted.
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology 4
 Only scholarly resources should be used. Sites such as Wikipedia, blogs, or other resources where information has
not been peer-reviewed must not be used. If you have questions regarding whether a resource is acceptable, please
ask your instructor before using that resource.
 Do not include an abstract.
 Direct quotes should be used sparingly, if at all. The intent of scholarly writing is to demonstrate the ability to
comprehend, interpret, and analyze information. Direct quotes do not demonstrate these skills, therefore they should
only be used when the true meaning of the original author cannot be appropriately expressed otherwise.
Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.
APA Guidelines
The application of the APA writing style shall be practical, functional, and appropriate to each academic level, with the
primary purpose being the documentation (citation) of sources. CSU requires that students use APA style for certain
papers and projects. Students should always carefully read and follow assignment directions and review the associated
grading rubric when available. Students can find CSU’s Citation Guide by clicking here. This document includes examples
and sample papers and provides information on how to contact the CSU Success Center.
Grading Rubrics
This course utilizes analytic grading rubrics as tools for your professor in assigning grades for all learning activities. Each
rubric serves as a guide that communicates the expectations of the learning activity and describes the criteria for each
level of achievement. In addition, a rubric is a reference tool that lists evaluation criteria and can help you organize your
efforts to meet the requirements of that learning activity. It is imperative for you to familiarize yourself with these rubrics
because these are the primary tools your professor uses for assessing learning activities.
Rubric categories include: (1) Assessment (Written Response) and (2) Assignment. However, it is possible that not all of
the listed rubric types will be used in a single course (e.g., some courses may not have Assessments).
The Assessment (Written Response) rubric can be found embedded in a link within the directions for each Unit
Assessment. However, these rubrics will only be used when written-response questions appear within the Assessment.
Each Assignment type (e.g., article critique, case study, research paper) will have its own rubric. The Assignment rubrics
are built into Blackboard, allowing students to review them prior to beginning the Assignment and again once the
Assignment has been scored. This rubric can be accessed via the Assignment link located within the unit where it is to be
submitted. Students may also access the rubric through the course menu by selecting “Tools” and then “My Grades.”
Again, it is vitally important for you to become familiar with these rubrics because their application to your
Assessments and Assignments is the method by which your instructor assigns all grades.
Final Examination Guidelines
Final Examinations are to be administered to students by an approved proctor on a date that is mutually convenient. The
student is responsible for selecting a qualified proctor that must be approved by the university.
A list of acceptable proctors is provided in the Examination Proctor Policy. To review the complete Examination Proctor
Policy including a list of acceptable proctors, proctor responsibilities, proctor approval procedures and the Proctor
Agreement Form, go to the myCSU Student Portal from the link below.
http://mycsu.columbiasouthern.edu
You are permitted four (4) hours to complete this exam in the presence of your approved Proctor. This is an open book
exam. Only course textbooks, writing utensils, and a calculator, if necessary, are allowed when taking proctored exams.
Other materials are not permitted unless specified in the examination instructions and only the sources identified in the
instructions may be used as source material.
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology 5
Communication Forums
These are non-graded discussion forums that allow you to communicate with your professor and other students.
Participation in these discussion forums is encouraged, but not required. You can access these forums with the buttons in
the Course Menu. Instructions for subscribing/unsubscribing to these forums are provided below.
Once you have completed Unit VIII, you MUST unsubscribe from the forum; otherwise, you will continue to
receive e-mail updates from the forum. You will not be able to unsubscribe after your course end date.
Click here for instructions on how to subscribe/unsubscribe and post to the Communication Forums.
Ask the Professor
This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content questions.
Questions may focus on Blackboard locations of online course components, textbook or course content elaboration,
additional guidance on assessment requirements, or general advice from other students.
Questions that are specific in nature, such as inquiries regarding assessment/assignment grades or personal
accommodation requests, are NOT to be posted on this forum. If you have questions, comments, or concerns of a nonpublic
nature, please feel free to email your professor. Responses to your post will be addressed or emailed by the
professor within 48 hours.
Before posting, please ensure that you have read all relevant course documentation, including the syllabus,
assessment/assignment instructions, faculty feedback, and other important information.
Student Break Room
This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Communication on this forum should
always maintain a standard of appropriateness and respect for your fellow classmates. This forum should NOT be used to
share assessment answers.
Grading
Assessments (4 @ 10%) = 40%
Research Papers (3 @ 12%) = 36%
Final Exam = 24%
Total = 100%
Course Schedule/Checklist (PLEASE PRINT)
The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to assist you through this course. By following this schedule,
you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted.
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology 6
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology Course Schedule
By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. Please keep this
schedule for reference as you progress through your course.
Unit I Understanding Concepts of Crime
Review:  Unit Study Guide
Read:
 Chapter 1: Criminology and the Sociological Perspective
 Chapter 2: Public Opinion, the News Media, and the Crime Problem
Submit:  Assessment
Notes/Goals:
Unit II Criminological Theories – Part I
Review:  Unit Study Guide
Read:
 Chapter 5: Classical and Neoclassical Perspectives
 Chapter 6: Biological and Psychological Explanations
Submit:
 Assessment
 Proctor Approval Form
Notes/Goals:
Unit III Criminological Theories – Part II
Review:  Unit Study Guide
Read:
 Chapter 7: Sociological Theories: Emphasis on Social Structure
 Chapter 8: Sociological Theories: Emphasis on Social Process
 Chapter 9: Sociological Theories: Critical Perspectives
Submit:  Research Paper
Notes/Goals:
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology 7
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology Course Schedule
Unit IV Measuring Crime and Victimization Issues
Review:  Unit Study Guide
Read:
 Chapter 3: The Measurement and Patterning of Criminal Behavior
 Chapter 4: Victims and Victimization
 Chapter 11: Violence Against Women
Submit:  Assessment
Notes/Goals:
Unit V Crime Impacting Individuals
Review:  Unit Study Guide
Read:
 Chapter 10: Violent Crime: Homicide, Assault, and Robbery
 Chapter 12: Property Crime and Fraud
 Chapter 15: Consensual Crime
Submit:  Research Paper
Notes/Goals:
Unit VI Crime Impacting Groups
Review:  Unit Study Guide
Read:
 Chapter 13: White-Collar and Organized Crime
 Chapter 14: Political Crime
Submit:  Assessment
Notes/Goals:
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology 8
MCJ 5135, Theory of Crime and Criminology Course Schedule
Unit VII Understanding the Criminal Justice System
Review:  Unit Study Guide
Read:
 Chapter 16: Policing: Dilemmas of Crime Control in a Democratic Society
 Chapter 17: Prosecution and Punishment
Submit:
 Research Paper
 Request to take Final Exam
Notes/Goals:
Unit VIII Addressing Crime-Related Issues
Review:  Unit Study Guide
Read:  Chapter 18: Conclusion: How Can We Reduce Crime?
Discuss:
 Discussion Board Response: Submit your response to the Discussion Board question by
Saturday, Midnight (Central Time)
 Discussion Board Comment: Comment on another student’s Discussion Board response
Submit:  Final Exam
Notes/Goals: