Course Syllabus

Psychology of Criminal Behavior

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Semester & Location:	Summer 2021 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Summer Class - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Psychology, Criminology, Sociology
Prerequisite(s):	One psychology course at university level.
Faculty Members:	Kamilla Lange (current students please use the Canvas Inbox)
Program Director:	Helle Rytkønen
Program Contact:	psy.cns@dis.dk
	Monday - Friday 8.30-17.00 (flexible within this time frame) Room: F24-206

  

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.

We will explore different explanatory models of why and when people commit crime – and why and when they do not. We will look at topics such as personality, genetics, social influences, psychopathology, environmental and cultural factors to understand the nature of criminal behavior. 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 factors involved in 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 reflect upon and think critically about standard explanations of criminal behavior provided in the media

- Consider the implications of Scandinavian and American perspectives

 

Faculty

Kamilla Lange

Readings

Textbook

Bartol, R. & Bartol, A. M. (2014) Criminal behavior - A Psychological Approach.

Readings

Bertelsen, P. (2015). Danish preventive measures and de-radicalization strategies: The Aarhus model. Panorama: Insights into Asian and European Affairs, 1(241), 53.

Boutwell, B. B., Nelson, E. J., Qian, Z., Vaughn, M. G., Wright, J. P., Beaver, K. M., ... & Rosenfeld, R. (2017). Aggregate-level lead exposure, gun violence, homicide, and rape. PloS one, 12(11).

DeMatteo, D., Edens, J. F., Galloway, M., Cox, J., Smith, S. T., Koller, J. P., & Bersoff, B. (2014). Investigating the role of the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised in United States case law. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 20(1), 96.

Gomez & Vazguez (2015). The power of ‘feeling one’ with a group: identity
fusion and extreme pro-group behaviours. Revista de Psicología Social,  30 (3), 481-511. 

Litton, P. (2018). Traumatic Brain Injury and a Divergence between Moral and Criminal Responsibility. Duq. L. Rev., 56, 35.

Manuel, C., & Jørgensen, A. M. K. (2013). Systematic review of youth crime prevention interventions. SFI.

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

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 

Date: 4 June at 12 pm. 

  

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.

Danish Police Museum

7th June at 2 pm.

 The Danish Police Museum is dedicated to the history of law enforcement in Denmark. It is based in a former police station on Fælledvej, off Sankt Hans Torv, in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. We will participate in a tour guided by a retired police officer who will tell us about his experiences working with law enforcement in Denmark, and about the history of crime and police/public relationships. 

Guest Lectures

Salman Ahmad, Ph.D.  PhD in Psychology and has worked as a faculty member and consultant with various educational, business and social organizations, and a faculty member with the department of psychology at DIS.

• Date: 27nd May at 14 pm. 
• Topic: The Dynamics of Inclusion and Exclusion in “Criminal” Behaviour.

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.

• Date: 31st May at 12 pm. 
• Topic: Gangs and radicalization.

Christina Bilstrup. Lecturer at DIS since 2019. 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.

• Date: 28th May at 1.30 pm. 
• Topic: Youth in prison, and the effects of confinement. 

Michael Heine Seest. Security Advisor, Danish Security and Intelligence Service. 

• Date: 1st June at 9 am. 
• Topic: The use of positive psychology in the work of the security and intelligence service. 

Ulla Otken, Ulla Otken has had a long career in the Danish court system and works as a judge at the district court of Frederiksberg in Copenhagen. Ulla alså teaches criminal law at The University of Copenhagen. 

• Date: 3rd June at 10 am.
• Topic: Criminal behavior from the perspective of a judge. 

Kristine Lassen. Kristine Lassen has worked as a Mediation Counselor for 10 years and is part of the Copenhagen Police Conflict Mediation Council. 

• Date: 7th June at 10 am.
• Topic: Mediation and Restorative Justice. 

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 (15%)

Due: 29th May. 

In this one to two page (300 words per page), 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%

Due: 3rd June. 

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 under 300 words.

 

Literature Review (minimum three peer revived research papers pr. group) & Group presentation (25%)

Due: The groups will present in class on June 8 and 9. 

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%)

Due: 17th June.

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 maximum 6 pages (300 words per page), not including title page, references and abstract. 

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	15%
Literature Review and Group Presentation	25%
Synopsis	5%
Individual research paper	30%

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.  

Academic Regulations 

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code