1. (200-400 words) What types of crime do you typically see in the news? What types of crime don’t you typically see? How might this affect the public’s understanding of crime? Why might an inaccurate perception of crime be problematic for society?
2. (150-250 words) Explain what the Rule of Law is with examples and explain its purpose.
3. (200-400 words) Historically, to claim self-defense a defendant must prove that they used deadly force as a last resort, specifically - they tried to retreat before resorting to the use of deadly force. Recently, laws such as the castle doctrine and stand your ground laws have changed this requirement, specifying that retreating is not necessary if your life is threatened in your home or in a public space. Discuss both the justification for these laws (i.e., why were they implemented, what are they meant to do?) as well as their criticisms (i.e., what negative outcomes might result from these laws?).
4. (200-400 words) Choose one of the traditional criminological theories explored in chapter 3 – describe in detail how the theory explains crime (i.e., what does the theory say causes crime?), and discuss the theory’s strengths and weaknesses. Finally, either identify an existing criminal justice program or policy, or propose a new one, that is based in the theory in order to reduce crime.
5. (150-250 words) Explain two ways it is argued that laws (or social perceptions of crime) favor the wealthy and disadvantage the poor.
6. (150-250 words) Critical race theory argues that the criminal justice system serves to maintain the subordinate position of African Americans and other racial/ethnic minorities in our society. Explain two phenomena that are argued to be evidence of this.
7. (200-400 words) Describe the issue argued in the court case of Emma DeGraffenreid that led to the development of the concept of intersectionality (i.e., explain the importance of intersectionality using this case as an example).
Emma DeGraffenreid was a black woman who lived in Missouri during the early twentieth century. She filed a lawsuit against her former employer, alleging that she had been discriminated against on the basis of both her race and her gender. The case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor.
This case was important because it led to the development of the concept of intersectionality. Intersectionality is the idea that different forms of discrimination (e.g., racism, sexism, homophobia) overlap and interact with one another. This case showed that discrimination cannot be understood simply as one form of oppression; instead, it must be viewed as a multi-dimensional phenomenon.
The case of Emma DeGraffenreid is significant because it helped to shape our understanding of discrimination and inequality. It also highlights the importance of considering multiple forms of oppression when analyzing any given social issue.
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