Cj 7350 - Environmental Criminology

CJ 7350 - ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMINOLOGY

Spring, 2011

Professor Marcus Felson

Course Information

Class Time: 6:30 to 9:20 pm Tuesday

Location of Class: Hines Hall 207

Course code: 379915

Instructor’s Office: Hines Hall 120

Office Hours: Wednesday afternoons 2-3:30, and by appointment, but I am around the office a lot

Phone: 512-245-1886

Email: mf38 @ txstate.edu

Course Overview and Description

Environmental criminology is the study of how the larger environment creates crime opportunities, and how that environment can be modified to reduce those opportunities and lessen the crime problem. Secondarily, environmental criminology is beginning to study, too, crimes against the environment. The current course does not consider this secondary set of issues. Rather, we focus on how the larger sociophysical environment sets the stage for crime to happen.

The term “sociophysical” is interesting, for it considers human beings and human society but also emphasizes the physical manifestations, such as how homes provide a challengeyou with I thatthink you will seeas time on.goes The fundamental principlesof this courseare easy. But their many applications space, the andoperandimodus byusedoffenders carryingillegalin out acts. everydayin linklarger life, crime’s todaily activities, crime’s location time in and These approachesoverlaptheirin withconcerncrime practical crimeprevention, reality,thiscourseIn representsaconvergence several of overlapping theoretical get it given get time. it application.It’sI’ve neverat hard but first, a had graduate student doesn’twho to ideaa practical applicationidea, – application,idea, application,idea, presentrequires you to information cogently. The great eachtask Linkis this: a professor, professional researcher, staff member, otheror jobwhatever goal is toyouMy wean from away being a student moveand youtowards being well. but students they few the times,get first better over and time canhandle very it presenting,I challengealsobut youand interrupt you. This may be hardon present you to eachpaper eachtime. Again help youare nervousI if about youwill help whenever someyou ask).give I requirelectures, alsobut I each of giveonly you starting references,and you havetofrom take there (although it I assign to that!a weeks I few prove several rather short for Ipapersyou to do. a particularhave methodthat wellworks graduatewith students – if you allow me thanRather teaching this as a lecturecourse readings a andwith list of topics, I traditions, traditions, including examininghowisputintopractice. it individualscrime. Rathertotakes commit that it predisposition as granted, not cover individual motivation a in general sense, northe predisposition of environmentalamiddlelevel theory ratherthan grand theory,a it sincedoes earth somecoursein it a is alsocourseways, yet might theory.callin We victims how and practicalin crimeiscarried terms out.down This to is a very are distributed over space, how businesses are laidhow out, offenders find Rational Rational choice theory (as by seenCornishand Clarke) Situational crimeprevention orientedProblempolicing Life style approach Routine activity approach Situational crimeprevention Geographycrime of Environmentalcriminology 2

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If any of these any ofIf puzzlepapers thetoyou,guy Marcus ask!I’m 5. 4. 3. to illustrate the totheory. suchcrimehow is prevented, using pamphletspopcenterwww .from . org sortsreasonsafterwards. Whatof cangenerate such crime? Consider violentDiscuss crimesthat are not acquisitive and seemirrationalhence such sourcesUse as crime a high neighborhood canstill or addresses. low streets have crime apaper Write on how risk convergescrime andspacein Explain time. why on offenderswork foraging for targets. crime dothese worksHow in. fit dimension? Consider Beavon’s onstreetwork networks and Bernasco’s aboutDoesknowage, and it it? vary by crime, any other major Take the phrase,Take the crime.”“journey What toit doesandmean what do we d. c. b. a. can can find these papers easily enough. oncrimeFelson prevention the in developing metropolis, 1987. You Cohen Felson,and 1979.original The routine activity paper. Criminology,27 predatoryof crime: Routine andactivities the of criminologyplace. Gartin,Buerger,R.,(1989). spots Sherman, L.P.E. & W., M. Hot Dennis severalRoncek, papers on dangerousplaces. , 27-56., END 4