JUVENLE
DELINQUENCY
SOCY 4024
Summer 2006
Instructor: Rachel Bandy
Office: Ketchum 35
Office Hours: Fridays,
12:45-2:45 PM or by appointment
Phone: 303.492.6637
Mailbox: Ketchum 219
Email: Rachel.Bandy@Colorado.edu (this is
the best way to contact me outside of class)
Please note: this syllabus is subject to change, as is
necessary.
This class will examine the history of the juvenile
justice system, the incidence and prevalence of delinquent behavior, as well as
theoretical explanations regarding why children become involved in criminal
activity.
Please come to class with your textbook. The following text is available at the CU Bookstore:
Participation (in its many
forms) is critical to your class experience.
You will be expected to attend class prepared to discuss readings and
other course material. I expect all
students to participate in discussions. If
you are uncomfortable speaking in large groups, consider regularly attending my
office hours or sending me e-mails with your thoughts and ideas about the
assigned readings. This will help you
earn participation points while also helping with your comprehension of the
material. You will LOSE participation
points if your contribution to the classroom includes carrying on side
conversations, passing notes, or otherwise disruptive behavior.
Regular class attendance is imperative to your learning
experience, especially during the intensive summer academic session. You will be expected to attend every class
period and will receive points accordingly.
Each student will receive two “free” absences during which no points
will be deducted from their grade. After
that, the 3rd absence will result in 3 lost points, the 4th
in 6 lost points, the 5th in 12 lost points, the 6th in
24 lost points, and 7 or more absences will result in the forfeiture of all
attendance points. Any absences
(medical, religious, etc) will first be deducted from these “freebies.” There is no need to notify me of your absence
unless it coincides with an exam or an assignment. In this circumstance you should contact me as
soon as possible and expect to provide me with documentation for such an
absence. For information regarding
absences due to religious observances, please see: www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
·
No late assignments will be accepted.
·
No make-up exams will be made available without
written confirmation of a medical emergency or similar emergency situation.
·
Please
adhere to university policies regarding academic honesty. Any student caught cheating, plagiarizing,
or engaging in academically dishonest behavior will automatically receive an F
in this class. For further guidance
on the
A student will earn points
in this class through the following opportunities:
1) 3 exams: 1st 60 pts., 2nd
50 pts., 3rd, 40 pts.=150 pts.
2) 4 in-class assignments, 5 pts. each=20 pts.
3) 4 “In the News…” assignments (see below for
details), 10 pts. each=40 pts.
4) Class participation (see above for details),
0-25 pt. range=25 pts.
5) Attendance (see above for details), 0-25 pt.
range=25 pts.
TOTAL=300 points
Final
Grades will be determined as follows:
94-100%=A 90-93%=A- 87-89=B+ 84-86=B 80-83%=B- 77-79%=C+
74-76%+C 70-73%=C- 67-69%=D+ 64-66%=D 60-63%=D- 59%>=F
ASSIGNMENTS
In-Class Assignments: These
short and varied assignments are aimed at gauging your reading comprehension
and ability to think through the issues presented in class and/or in your
textbook. Sometimes you’ll be asked to
work alone, other times in a group. These assignments will be explained in detail
in class. You may not make-up a missed in-class assignment.
In The News…:
As stated earlier in this
syllabus, you are required to read a newspaper, of your choosing, every
day. Once a week an assignment called
“In the News…” (ITN) is due at the beginning of class. This assignment requires that you find a news
story addressing juvenile delinquency (or another issue closely related to
youth and crime) to which you write a short response (a couple of paragraphs). Your response should include:
·
A brief summary of
the subject covered in the article (about 1-1 ½ paragraphs)
·
Your reflections
on the matter (how it relates to the class, the readings, your thoughts on the
issue, etc), and
·
A copy of the
article stapled to your assignment
·
Assignments must
be typed and double-spaced and follow the general rules of grammar,
referencing, etc.
EXTRA CREDIT
No extra credit points will be awarded in this
class. If you are concerned about your
class performance at any time, please see me during my office hours or schedule
an appointment. I am always willing to work with students outside of class to
answer questions, help them improve their work, or to talk through any class
concerns.
If you have
specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require
accommodations, please let me know by the end of the first week of the semester
so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need to provide documentation of
your disability to the Disability Services Office in Willard 322 at 303.492.8671.