CRIM6309.

001
Course
Communities and Crime
Professor Dr. Timothy M. Bray
Term Fall Semester, 2010
Meetings Tuesday 2:30 pm – 5:15 pm, FO2.604

Professor’s Contact Information

Office Phone (972) 883-5432
Office Location WSTC 1.6
Email Address timothy.bray@utdallas.edu
Office Hours Anytime by Appointment

General Course Information

Pre-requisites, Co- This course has no official pre-requisites, but students will find gain a
requisites, & other fuller understanding of the topics covered if they begin with a sound
restrictions foundation in criminological theory.
Course Description This course examines the trends and sources of crime and social disorder
across communities. The course emphasizes relationships among crime,
fear of crime, neighborhood change, neighborhood responses to crime,
and public policies.
Learning Outcomes Students will become familiar with criminological theories as they apply
to concepts of crime as social and geographic phenomenon, and will
explore the concepts of agency, culture, and structure and their interaction
with person and place.
Texts, Readings, & This course will use a variety of books, journal articles, and other
Materials materials. The reading list and general schedule are covered in a separate
document.

Assignments & Academic Calendar

(TENTATIVE – SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Assigned reading material is covered in the attached reading list and schedule. Group projects will be due
throughout the semester, and will include a brief presentation. Individual papers will be due Tuesday,
December 7th. The cutoff date for review and comments on your paper November 9th.

Course Policies
Grading (credit) Grades in this class are based on your performance. Grades are structured as
Criteria follows:
Group Project 250 Points
Final Paper 500 Points
Attendance and Participation 250 Points
Total 1,000 Points
Letter grades will be assigned on the following point scale. This course does
not adopt the +/- option in final course grading.
90% and above A
80% through 89% B
70% through 79% C
Below 70% F
 Group Assignment
As this is an advanced course in understanding communities and crime, your
group project will involve the application of our theoretical underpinnings
and readings to a non-traditional observation exercise. Details of the
assignment will be distributed during the 2nd class period. Your grade on the
group assignment will be worth 25 percent of your final grade.

Individual Paper Assignment

To demonstrate your individual mastery of the subject matter, the paper
assignment is an application of our theoretical underpinnings and readings to
one of the narrative ethnographies studied in class. Details of the assignment
will be distributed during the 4th class period. Your grade on the paper
assignment will be worth 50 percent of your final grade.

Attendance and Participation

I expect lively discussion and participation from all students in the class. Of
your final grade, 25 percent of your points will come from your attendance
and participation, as rated on the following five dimensions: attendance and
promptness, engagement, listening, and preparation. A copy of the rubric will
be distributed during the first class.
Extra Credit Grades in this class are based on the work that you do. There will be NO end
of semester extra-credit assignments made on an individual-student basis.
Late Work Late work (work turned it beyond the date agreed upon by the student and
instructor) will not be accepted. Because of the fluid nature of community-
based work, students who anticipate missing a deadline because of client
difficulties must negotiate a new deadline with the instructor.
Class Attendance Class attendance is essential. It is also your responsibility. Whether or not you
attend, you are responsible for all material delivered in class.
Incorporation of The University has established a variety of rules and procedures that govern your
University experience as a student. While not spelled out explicitly in this syllabus, they are
Policies none the less applicable to you. You should make yourself aware of these policies, as
they define your rights and responsibilities as a student. Particular examples include
the following:
 Student Conduct and Discipline
 Academic Integrity
 Email Use for Official Correspondence
 Withdrawals from Class
 Student Grievances
 Incomplete Grades
 Disability Services
 Religious Holy Days
 Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities
To view these and other policies in detail, visit http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-
policies. All applicable University policies are incorporated herein by inclusion of
this link.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor. The most
recent date, time, and policy addenda announced in class or through e-mail take precedent over any
material published in this syllabus.