Professor:Doris Kessenich - M.A.
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This is most recent syllabus. Your final syllabus will be given during your first day of class
Important Note: This class is cross-listed with SOC 249. This course was formerly PYCB 250.
Course Description
Crime comes in many different forms, is known since the beginning of humankind and yet it is almost impossible to create a way of lifestyle that eliminates criminal activity completely from a society. The questions raised after a crime are stable over time: when, where, who, but the most important one is why. This course tries to give an answer by analyzing theories of crime, biological and psychological models of criminal behavior, crime and mental disorders, human aggression and violent crimes, cyber crimes and other specific offenses. Students will learn how to profile an offender in base of their actions, risk factors in human development and policies of crime prevention. Students are required to develop critical thinking skills when analyzing case studies by using the theoretical material learned in class.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate:
- knowledge of key concepts and propositions of psychological models of criminal behavior;
- capacity to identify the different perspectives on human nature that underlie the theoretical development and research of criminal behavior;
- familiarity with research methodologies commonly employed in the field of criminal psychology, as well as a capacity for analyzing their strengths and weaknesses; and
- ability to examine critically specific offenses and apply psychological models of criminality to case studies.
Course Materials
Anthony Walsh, Criminology: The Essentials, Second Edition, Sage Publications, 2014.
A mandatory course reader