CRIM 6311: Crime and Public Policy

Spring, 2011

I. Professor Contact Information:

Dr. Sarah Maxwell, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Education, EPPS. GR 3.104c 972-883-6469
Students are strongly encouraged to use email as the primary method of communication. Your professor checks email
several times per day and you can normally expect a response within 8 hours or sooner.
Office Hours: Students should feel free to contact the professor at any time by email. Appointments may be arranged
at times available to both student and professor for those requiring an in person visit. I truly enjoy meeting with
students, so please stop by ask questions, clarify assignments, or to just say hello. I am typically in my office in the
mornings, and out most Wednesdays in meetings. Technical Support: If you experience difficulties with your UTD
account you may send an email to assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.

II. Course Description:

Crime and Justice Policy is an introduction to the efforts to control crime through public policy. Crime and Justice Policy
explores the foundations of the policy-making process at the federal, state, and local levels. The course also considers
broad theoretical applications pertaining to public opinion, national culture, and comparative analyses among Western
democracies and their differing approaches to crime. This course employs a variety of learning tools, from roundtable
discussions to policy cases. Readings consist of three texts, which will lay the foundation for further academic study,
including articles from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, foundations, and think-tanks.

III. Textbooks

Slate, Risdon and Johnson, Wesley. (2008). The criminalization of mental illness: Crisis and opportunity for the
justice system. Durham: Carolina Academic Press.
Walker, Samuel. (2008). Sense and Nonsense about Crime, Drugs, and Communities: A Policy Guide, 7th Edition.
(purchase ebook or rental)
http://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/en/US/storefront/US?cmd=catProductDetail&productID=5782419421023337452105204781888263545
A hard copy of this text can also be purchased at Off Campus Books or the UTD Bookstore or on various online
bookstores. This book is also available on Kindle.
Additional readings are incorporated in this syllabus and posted on ELearning. Please read ahead of class time.
Students who have not taken classes in public policy previously may wish to purchase Anderson, James E . (any
used edition is just fine). Public Policymaking: An Introduction. Wadsworth Publishing.

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IV. Course Objectives

Apply categories of policy making to the crime problem and crime control.
Describe how policy makers and nongovernmental actors help shape crime legislation and policy making.
Apply the policy process to crime; why and how do crime concerns become public problems?
Why do some crime problems never make it onto the institutional agenda? How are crime policies implemented
and at what levels?
Discuss the policy adoption and implementation processes; how laws about crime are made, and accordingly, how
national crime legislation is implemented at the federal, state, and local levels.
Effectively analyze how and when larger social forces such as public opinion, national culture, and major historical
events contribute to national policy making.
Discuss specific pieces of legislation, analyzing how crime legislation creates change, including unintended
consequences for various populations and the American public in general.
Understand the role of research and criminological theories in public policy formation.

V. Grades
25% of total 75%of total grade
grade 15 questions x 5 points each
FINAL PROJECT ESSAYS: ALL DUE by NOON SATURDAYS
Due April 30th
Noon GENERAL QUESTIONS: (Post on Discussion Board /Public to students in class) Answers to the
questions must be posted in on the discussion board in essay format of 250 words or more per
What Works answer with two external references per answer. External references must include one journal
/Best Practices article from a crime journal. The second can be from another journal, government agency or
in NGO (NIJ and the National Governors’ Association offer numerous best practice guides), or
criminological think tanks (i.e. Brookings, RAND, Urban Institute). 3 Questions
policies in the BEST PRACTICE QUESTIONS FROM WALKER TEXT and Journal Articles (Not public. Email
United States instructor with answers) Answers to questions about Best Practices and Evidence-based
(a detailed Research. 250 words or more per answer with two external references per answer. External
assignment references must include one journal articles from a crime journal. The second can be from
sheet will be another journal, government agencies or NGOS (NIJ and the National Governors’ Association
posted on offer numerous best practice guides), or think tanks (i.e. Brookings, RAND, Urban Institute). 7
Elearning) Questions
CMHC ACT QUESTIONS (Not public. Email instructor with answers) Community Health Centers
Act Case Study: Applying the public policy process to the criminalization of the mentally ill
(follow the stages from problem identification to, ultimately, the unintended consequences of
public laws). Students will submit five short essays of at least 250 words each explaining the
CMHC case to the public policy making process. (Detailed assignment information will be posted
on ELearning) These answers do not require outside sources. Use the Risdon/Johnson text. 5
Questions

STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO CHECK THEIR ELEARNING EMAIL THREE TIMES A WEEK. Failure to do so may result in a
grade reduction.

Incomplete Grade Policy: As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at
the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within
eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to

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remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically
to a grade of F.

Responses: Students are also encouraged to briefly and respectfully comment to other students’ discussion questions.
There is no length requirement for the responses to other student answers. Your responses should be based on the
substantive content of their posting and must address the content of their answer. DO NOT criticize the other student or
make negative references about the student. Responses and discussions are the only area where students can voice
personal opinion. All other written assignments are based on academic arguments, research, or statistics. Attention to
proper writing and correct spelling when posting the discussion questions and responses is expected and is a part of the
grade received for the assignment. All comments posted by students must be in formal language with no intolerant,
rude, abusive, or obscene language. Violations of this policy will be referred for disciplinary action with the
recommendation that the student be expelled from the class!

VI. COURSE CALENDAR AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

NOTE: As part of the weekly assignments and final project, students will be incorporating articles from the seminal
research journals in the crime, criminological, and criminal justice literature. These are additional readings that the
student will research independently to inform the discussion.

WEEK Dates READING WEEKLY LEARNING OBJECTIVES and

ASSIGNMENTS
1 January 15th  Anderson, J.E. (2007) Public Policymaking, Understand the public policy stages
Saturday class sixth edition. pp. 1-9, (distributed in class) &
process and theories of public policies
held in Founders pps. 80-98 (posted on Elearning) Apply frameworks of criminological
2.604  Lecture on public policy; this lecture will set
theories to the policy making process
the stage for the entire semester, including Discuss “Best Practices” and What Works
the CMHC Act Case Questions in crime policy, setting stage for final
project
PART 1: THINKING CLEARLY ABOUT CRIME
2 January 22nd  (Walker) Crime and Policy: A Complex  CMHC Act Case: Problem
Problem Identification (historical)
 (Anderson) Problems, Agendas, and  Best Practices Table Assignment.
Formulations in Anderson, J. (2009) Public Begin answering “what works” in
Policy Making: An Introduction pp. 83-101. crime policy.
 (Risdon & Johnson) Chapters 1-2

3 January 29th
 (Risdon & Johnson) Chapter 3
(Walker) Models of Criminal Justice  (Walker) Essay on “Wedding Cakes”
Worrall, J. (1999). Focusing Event and focusing events.
Characteristics and Issue Accompaniment:
The Case of Domestic Terrorism. Criminal
Justice policy Review v. 10. No3/99. Pp. 319-
341.
Barrett, K. Greene, and Mariani, R. Mental
Health: promises unfulfilled. Governing.
February 2004.
http://www.governing.com/gpp/2004/mental.htm

4 February 5th  (Walker)The Going Rate  CMHC Act Case: Agenda Setting
 (Risdon & Johnson) Chapter 4-5 (historical)
 (not graded) post public responses or
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5 February 12th  (Walker) The Prediction Problem
 (Risdon & Johnson) Chapter 6
“GET TOUGH”: THE CONSERVATIVE ATTACK ON CRIME
6 February 19th  (Walker) Unleash the Cops!
 (Risdon & Johnson) Chapters 6-8
reactions to “Chapter 3, Walker, “The
Going Rate”
 (Walker and lecture) Non-
governmental policy participants (e.g.,
academics) and their influence on
public policy. Case on cohort studies
and “get tough.”
 CMHC Act Case: Formulations (current
day alternatives)
 (Walker) Best Practices in Policing

7 February 26th  (Walker) Deter the Criminals.  (Walker) Best Practices associated
 (Risdon & Johnson) Chapters 9-10 with Deterrence Theory

8 March 5th  (Walker) Lock ‘Em Up  (Walker) Texas Penal Code 42.072.
 (Risdon & Johnson) Chapters 11-12 Examining the Vagueness and
Overbreadth doctrines. Apply to Texas
Stalking Laws.
9 March 12th  (Walker) Close the Loopholes  CMHC Act Case: Adoption and
Implementation (historical and
current day implementation)
SPRING BREAK
PART III: THE MIDDLE GROUND: VICTIMS AND GUNS.
10 March 19th  (Walker) Protect Crime Victims  (not graded) post public responses or
reactions to “Close the Loopholes”
and “Protect the Victims”
11 March 26th  (Walker) Control Gun Crimes  CMHC Act Case: Policy Impact and
Evaluation: The Unintended
Consequences of CMHC and its impact
on the prison system today
 (Walker) Best Practices in Gun Control
PART IV: REFORM: THE LIBERAL PRESCRIPTION
12 April 2nd  (Walker) Treat ‘Em!  (Walker) Best Practices in
 Maxwell, C., Garner, J & Fagan, J. (2002). The Rehabilitation
Preventative Effects of Arrest on Intimate  Domestic Violence Best Practices
Partner Violence: Research, Policy and
Theory. 2(1) pp. 51-80.
 Jackson, S., Forde, D. Maxwell, C. Taylor, B,
Feder, L., & Davis, R. (June 2003). Batterer
Intervention Programs: Where do we go
from here? NIJ Special Report. pp. 1-35.
13 April 9th  (Walker) Gain Compliance with the Law  (not graded) post public responses or
reactions to “Gain Compliance with
the Law”
PART V: THE DRUG PROBLEM
14 April 16th  (Walker) Sense and Nonsense about Drugs  (Walker) Best Practices in Dealing with
and Crime Drugs
PART VI: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: CRIME AND COMMUNITY
Public Policy Implementation
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15 April 23rd  (Walker) Putting it All Together  Best Practices in Community Focused
Saturday Class  Carter, M., Gibel, S., Giguere, R., & Stroker, Efforts, Offender REentry
held in Founders R. (Eds.) (2007). Increasing Public Safety
2.604 through Successful Offender Reentry:
Evidence-Based and Emerging Practices in
Corrections. Bureau of Justice Assistance and
the Venter for Effective Public Policy. Read
Sections 1 and 6 (pp. 11-16 and 94-141)
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/pdf/SVORI_CEPP.
pdf
16 April 30th What Works/Evidence Based/Best
Practices Final Project Due

VIII. UT Dallas Policies

http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies