Course Syllabus

Psychology of Criminal Behavior

 

Semester & Location:	Summer 2019 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Summer Class - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Psychology, Criminology, Sociology
Faculty Members:	Christina Bilstrup- christinabil@yahoo.dk
Program Assistant	Carolyn Goddard- cgo@dis.dk
Program Director:	Carla Caetano
	Monday - Friday 8.30-17.00 (flexible within this time frame) Room: F24-503

  

Description of Course

This course is for the student who wishes to enhance his or her knowledge of psychology with a perspective on criminal behavior. It is also for students who already have a predominantly sociological knowledge of crime and who wish to underpin this with updated psychological research.

One overarching issue is why and when ordinary people commit crime – and why and when they do not. Key terms here are social norms, social control, neutralization and disinhibition. Another part of the semester is dedicated to mental disorders, among others the interaction between the law and psychology in relation to insanity.
In class, on field studies and in the use of research articles, the perspective used will be Scandinavian.

Learning Objectives

By the end of term, all students should:

- Understand the complex and complicated interaction between nature and nurture that leads to criminal behavior

- Be able to apply a variety of explanations and theoretical perspectives on developmental and social factors as key foundations for understanding and explaining criminality

- Be able to describe and identify the overall relationship between mental disorders, behavioral disorders and criminal conduct

- Be able to reflect upon and think critically about standard explanations of criminal behavior provided in the media

- Consider the implications of Danish and European perspectives

 

Faculty

Christina Bilstrup, For many years, Christina has worked for the Danish Police and the Attorney General. In addition, she is associated with institutions for juvenile detainees, where she performs screening of the young people in terms of determining and evaluating their Cognitive Level and potential Psychiatric Disorders

Readings

Textbook Pick Up in F24 - 206
Tuesday 21st 10 - 16
Wednesday 22nd 10 – 14

Textbook

Bartol, R. & Bartol, A. M. (2011) Origins of Criminal behavior - Developmental Risk Factors in: Criminal Behavior – A psychological Perspective.

Readings

Markowitz (2011): Mental illness, crime, and violence: Risk, context, and social control. In: Aggression and Violent Behavior 16 (2011) 36–44

Maruna, s. & Copes, H. (2005) What Have We Learned from Five Decades of Neutralization Research? In Crime and Justice 32, 221-320

Munkner, R. Et al. (2009) Registered criminality and sanctioning of schizophrenia patients in: Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 863 (6) 485-492

 

Field Studies

EXIT Cafe

Café Exit is a church-based social project offering opportunities and giving new hope to prisoners and released prisoners. In the community the individual can gain insight and develop abilities that can help him or her to take on the responsibility for his or her own life, break former patterns and become a member of the society.

Sølager Youth 'Prison'

”Sølager” is an juvenile institution with four secured departments. The young are often placed in Sølager because they are charged with a criminal act and while the police are investigating the case and before there has been a verdict, but one can also be placed at “Sølager” based on the evaluated ”danger criteria and risk”
The juviniles at “Sølager” are up to 18 years old. A secured institution is a department where external doors and windows can be locked. In connection to visiting the young people, the guests have to go through the security access control with camera scanners, to reduce the entry of mobile phones and other unwanted objects.

Gadens stemmer - Street Voices

We will go on a guided walking tour that focus on the guide’s personal story of a life on the dark side of society. Street Voices gives the socially vulnerable a voice in the public debate and an opportunity to support themselves – and brings people together in a unique way across social divides.

Guest Lectures

-Bent Isager Nielsen, Police Inspector and Investigations Director in several Police Districts in Denmark, Bent Isager Nielsen has been in charge of the investigation of numerous, often highly profiled criminal cases. Bent had a decisive influence on the introduction of new methods in the investigation.
-  Anne Okkels Birk, MA (political science, University of Aarhus, 1997). Diploma in Criminology (University of Copenhagen 2007). Lecturer at DIS in the courses Criminology & Criminal Justice in Scandinavia and Gang Crime in Scandinavia.

Approach to Teaching

Most classes will be based on a lecture format for a given topic which will be followed by enriching academic discussions on topics like free will and biological determinism, developmental disorders, criminal behavior in relation to personality traits, questions of morality, and the psychological and societal effect of punishment. The course will be based on critical reflection, dialogue and debate.

Together we will create a climate where everybody can participate with constructive curiosity and reflections and all manner of questions can be asked.

Expectations of the Students

As a student your are expected to participate actively during class and field studies. Apart from asking questions, participating in discussions and offering critical reflections on the topics, students are expected to consider how their contributions affect the overall work climate in class

Be punctual for class and field studies.

Show respect for and attempt to understand other people’s viewpoints and experiences, whether this be other students or guest lecturers and people encountered on field studies

Evaluation

Attendance and Participation (15%)

Attendance is mandatory, except for serious illness or participation in religious holidays.

If you must miss a class:

Please inform me as soon as possible (latest on the day of the absence) and

It is your responsibility to find out what you have missed, so be sure to get the notes and any information from a classmate as soon as possible.

Active participation, questions and discussion are important and expected during class as well as during Field Studies. Please arrive several minutes before class begins. It is very distracting when students arrive late, you lose important information by missing the opening minutes, and it is especially rude if we have guest speakers.

 

Please plan ahead so that you leave plenty of time to get to class on time. Several tardies will affect your participation and attendance grade.

 

Reflective Essay (10%)

In this one to two page double spaced essay, you have a chance to map out your own assumptions about crime and criminal behavior – whos are the criminals and why does criminal behavior occour; is it a genetic-developmental issue, is it the expression of certain personality traits or a socialtal-structural or a psycho-social problem? Or maybe a mix of all? There is no right or wrong answers for the assignment, but personal assumptions must be supported with valid arguments.

 

Synopsis 5%

The research topic selected, phrased as a question or hypothesis, must be submitted to the class instructor for approval prior to commencing on the research paper. The synopsis – or abstract – will present relevant considerations, academic view points and argument to be worked with in depth in the actual paper. You will receive feedback from your peers as well as the class instructor to further qualify your work. Your synopsis should be ½-1 double spaced pages of text.

 

Literature Review (minimum three peer revived research papers pr. group) & Group presentation (35%)

This assignment will require students to work in groups where they produce a literature review based on at least three peer revived academic research papers on a chosen topic and thereafter present it as a group. Each group will submit one literature review.

The purpose of the literature review is to establish a theoretical framework for your chosen topic in which you will define key terms, identify studies supporting your topic and establish the area of study. This will allow for students to gain insight and tell others what the research says (theory), how the research was carried out (methodology), and what is missing, i.e. the gap that your research intends to fill. After submitting the literature review in written form, the group will present this in the form of oral presentations. Each group presentation will be for maximum 20 min + 10 minutes for discussion. Active participation is required during the presentations from other groups.

 

Research Paper (35%)

You will write a research based paper on a topic you choose. It can be from the readings, research that you have done, or inspiration you have gotten on the field studies. Your task is twofold:

To present relevant research within the particular topic you investigate including reflections on the research methods used in these studies and;

Critically analyze these research results by using an argument you have developed to examine your topic.

The paper should be 6-7 double spaced pages of text, not including title page, references and abstract. More detailed information will be given in class and on blackboard.

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work.

Grading

Assignment	Percent
Attendance and participation in class discussions and discussions on Canvas	15%
Reflective Essay	10%
Literature Review and Group Presentation	35%
Synopsis	5%
Individual research paper	35%

Disability and Resource Statement  

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Academic Support (acadsupp@dis.dk) to coordinate this.  In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.

Policies

Attendance

You are expected to attend all classes, guest lectures, workshops and field studies. If you must miss a class for religious holidays, medical reasons, or other valid reasons, you must let us know as far in advance as possible of the absence and obtain information about the work you must do to keep up in class. If you miss a class for any other reason (sudden illness, family emergency, etc.), you should get in touch with us as soon as possible and arrange to make up the work missed.

It is crucial for your learning that you stay on task and hand in assignments on or before the due date. All work– including in-class projects – have to be completed in order to pass the class. Late papers or projects will be marked down with 1/3 of a grade for each day it is late.

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others.   

Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software.  See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.

Policy on late papers: Late essays will be accepted for up to 3 days after the deadline, but the grade for the paper will be reduced by half a grade for each day that it is late.

Policy for students who arrive late to class: Students who are repeatedly late for class will receive a lower participation grade.

Use of laptops or phones in class: Students, who use their laptop for reasons not related to class, will have their class participation grade reduced significantly. Use of telephone is not allowed outside of breaks. For some lessons, laptop use may be banned completely.