Sociology Special Topics Courses in Crime, Law, and Deviance Spring 2010

391LM – Morality and Law
Curtis, A. Thompson 614
Good and evil are often perceived to be the responsibility and domain of spiritual and religious leaders. In the U.S., many point to the text of the First Amendment as guaranteeing a separation of church and state and, therefore, assume that questions regarding good and evil have no place in government. And yet, the very act of creating a law separates “acceptable” from “wrong” and is often directly related to a particular moral understanding of the world. In this course, we will consider the following questions: What does it mean to talk about ‘good’ and ‘evil’ in the
context of the law? What are the obligations of a government in preventing ‘evil’ and promoting ‘good’—both internationally and domestically? Which groups decide what transgressions (evils) are made illegal? What are the consequences for these decisions?

397S – Crime and Inequality
Aiello, B., Thompson 612
This course will explore issues of inequality within the construction and application of the law. Why are some actions defined as criminal and not others? Why are some groups more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system than others? This course will examine the historical construction of the American criminal justice system. It will also explore the interplay between law, crime and various social institutions like the family, the welfare system, and the economy.This course will be a blend of in-person lectures and online coursework, with some lectures, discussions and quizzes administered online. A detailed schedule will be outlined in the course syllabus. Please contact the instructor, Brittnie Aiello at brittnie@soc.umass.edu with questions or for more information.

Enrollment process:

Send email to Juliet Carvajal, carvajal@soc.umass.edu, with the following information:

Name, Student ID, Major, Enrollment appt date/time, Course desired

Enrollment priority will be verified and registration confirmation by mid-December.  Formal SPIRE enrollment will not occur until the  week before classes start.

Enrollment priorities:

1. Sociol Major w/ Concentration in Crime, Law, and Deviance

2. Criminal Justice Certificate student  (non-major)

3. Sociol Senior

4. Sociol Junior

5. Sociol Sophomore

6. Non-major