UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK CCJS 418 M. Cross-national Comparisons of Crime and Criminal Justice. Spring 2014

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1 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK CCJS 418 M Cross-national Comparisons of Crime and Criminal Justice Spring 2014 Professor James P. Lynch Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice LeFrak Hall 2220P Jlynch14@umd.edu Office Hours: Tuesday 4:00-6:00 pm and Thursday 3:30-4:30 pm Course Syllabus A. Course Description This course is designed to provide advanced undergraduate students with a cross-national perspective from which to view justice issues in the United States. This perspective will enhance your ability to understand and to evaluate institutions of social control here in the U.S. Similarities and differences between the U. S. and other nations in terms of crime and responses to crime will be used to raise questions about the effectiveness and appropriateness of our institutions and policies. We will also consider what would be required to change our institutions and policies to become more like those of other nations. The course is divided into three sections. The first presents a model for understanding the evolution and adaptation of criminal justice systems, and specifically why systems respond differently to similar crime problems. The second section examines the structure of the criminal justice system in various countries in order to illustrate how nations can differ with respect to the model presented in the first section. The third section examines differences in the response of criminal justice systems to similar crime problems to see if the model can account for these differences. B. Text and readings. There are two required texts that provide the basic structure for the course: Reichel, Philip L. Comparative Criminal Justice Systems: A topical approach. (6th Ed.) Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs New Jersey, 2013 Terrill, Richard World Criminal Justice Systems. (8 th Ed.) Anderson, Cincinnati, OH 1996

2 These two books describe the variety of criminal justice systems in the world. Each takes a very different approach with Terrill describing each system and Reichel using descriptions of specific systems to illustrate a more general difference between systems. Both approaches are illuminating. These texts will be supplemented with readings tailored to specific topics. These readings will be provided in CANVASS. C. Course Design The course will be a mixture of lecture and seminar. Some of the descriptive material presented in the readings will be synthesized and embellished in class sessions. Other classes will be devoted to a discussion of specific issues where participants will be expected to have read the required material before hand and to be prepared to discuss it in detail. These classes will be toward the end of the semester. D. Grading Your grade in the course will be determined by your performance on the midterm and final exams as well as a short paper and your participation in class throughout the semester. The mid-term exam will contribute 30 percent of your grade, the short paper 20 percent and the final 40 percent of your grade. The remaining 10 percent of your grade will be determined by the level and quality of your class participation. The mid-term will assess your understanding of the model of the structure and change in the criminal justice systems as well as your familiarity with a number of justice systems describe in the class to that point. The short paper (10 double spaced pages) asks that you choose a nation not treated in the class, describe the major features of that system and how they differ from that of the United States, and explain why those differences exist and what the repercussion of those differences will be for the functioning of the system. The final exam will ask you to assess the ability and advisability of implementing one of more criminal justice policies or programs operating in another country to the United States. In so doing you would be expected to use the model of change presented and discussed throughout the course. E. Academic Dishonesty and Honor Pledge: The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any student suspected of academic dishonesty will be referred to the Honor Council.

3 To further exhibit your commitment to academic integrity, remember to sign the Honor Pledge on all examinations and assignments: I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment/examination. F. Religious Observances: The University System of Maryland policy provides that students should not be penalized because of observances of their religious beliefs. Students shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of any intended absences for religious observances in advance. G. Students with Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability who wishes to discuss academic accommodations, please contact us by February 14, H. Meeting Time and Location: This class meets on Tuesdays and Thursday, 2:00 to 3:15 in Symons Hall I. Tentative Course Outline Class schedule Date Topic Assignments 1/28 Introduction 1/30 Criminal Justice System: Why Cross-national Reichel. ch.1 Comparisons of Crime and Justice 2/4 Comparing crime cross-nationally Lynch and Pridemore 2/6 Cross-national Theories of Crime Causation Reichel, Ch. 2 Messner 2/11 American Perspective on Criminal Law Reichel, Ch.3 2/13 Legal Traditions Reichel, Ch.4 2/18 Substantive and Procedural Law in Four Reichel, Ch.5 Legal Traditions 2/20 Variations in the Organization of Policing Reichel, Ch. 6

4 2/25 Variation in the Organization of Courts Reichel, Ch. 7 Submit topic for Short Paper 2/27 Variations in the Organization of Corrections Reichel, Ch. 8 3/4 Variation Juvenile Justice Reichel, Ch. 9 3/6 Legitimacy, Coercion and Restraint Miller, Ch.1-3 3/11 A Framework for Cross-national Comparisons: Legal Miller traditions, political structures and precipitating events 3/13 Mid-term exam 3/18 Spring Break 3/20 Spring Break 3/25 Explaining the Organization of Criminal Justice in England Terrill, Ch. 1 3/27 Explaining the Organization of Criminal Justice in France Terrill, Ch. 2 4/1 Explaining the Organization of Criminal Justice in Germany Fairchild & Dammer, Ch. 4 4/3 Explaining the Organization of Criminal Justice in Japan Terrill, Ch. 3 4/8 Explaining the Organization of Criminal Justice in China Terrill, Ch. 6 4/10 Explaining the Organization of Criminal Justice in South Terrill. Ch. 4 Africa 4/15 Strategies to reduce gun violence across nations Kopel Ch. 10,11 Short paper due 4/17 Strategies to reduce gun violence across nations Cook, et al. 4/22 Strategies for Controlling Drug Use Across Nations Reuter & McCoun, /24 Strategies for Controlling Drug Use Across Nations R&M,Ch /29 Sentencing and Mass Incarceration Blumstein & Beck 5/1 Sentencing and Mass Incarceration Frase 5/6 Immigration Policies and Crime Lynch & Simon 5/8 Immigration Policies and Crime McDonald 5/13 Summation

5 TBA Final Exam Supplemental Readings Blumstein, Alfred and Allen J. Beck (2005) Re-entry as the Transient State between Liberty and Recommitment. Jeremy Travis and Christy Visher (eds.) Prisoner Rentry and Crime in America. New York, Cambridge University Press. Cook, Phillip, Anthony Braga and Mark Moore (2011) Gun Control in Crime.. James Q. Wilson and Joan Petersilia (eds.) New York, Oxford University Press. Frase, Richard (2001) Sentencing in Germany and the United States: comparing apfels with apples. Gartner, Rosemary (1990) The Victims of Homicide: A Temporal and Cross-national Comparison. American Sociological Review. 55: Koppel, David B. (1992) The Samarui, the Mounty and the Cowboy.: Should America Adopt the Gun Controls of Other Democracies. Prometheous Press, New York Lynch, James P. and William Pridemore (2011) Crime in International Perspective. In Crime.. James Q. Wilson and Joan Petersilia (eds.) New York, Oxford University Press. Lynch, James P. and Rita J. Simon (2000) A Comparative Assessment of Criminal Involvement among Immigrants and Natives across Seven Nations. International Criminal Justice Review. McDonald, William Illegal Immigration: Crime, Ramifications and Control. In W. McDonald Crime and Law Enforcement in the Global Village, Cincinnati, Anderson. Messner, Steven F. (1989) Economic Deprivation and Societal Homicide Rates: Further Evidence on the Cost of Inequality. American Sociological Review 54: Miller, Wilbur (1998) Cops and Bobbies: Police Authority in New York and London , Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State University Press (on-line open access)