COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course uses the tools of criminology to examine crime and deviance in North America and community responses to this behaviour. Students examine various theories explaining the nature and patterns of Indigenous crime and delinquency. A critical examination of the First Nations experience with the criminal justice system is included. Innovative First Nations’ justice programs are examined and international comparisons of justice services for indigenous people are discussed. We will look specifically at a number of criminalized or stigmatized social issues through the lens of moral panic: drugs, homelessness, prostitution, and youth crime. A main question we want to ask is: what are the some of the processes that allow phenomena generally outside the realm of crime to become regulated by law?
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to…
- Use the tools of criminology to examine the crime and deviance from a First Nations’ perspective;
- Understand critical social process models such as moral panics;
- Develop a critical sense of media analysis;
- Explain family dynamics with particular reference to juvenile crime;
- Describe symptoms/effects of drug/alcohol abuse and treatment options available;
- Explain: FAS, FAE, NAS;
- Define violence and domestic violence and the treatment options available;
- Explain the impact of violence on the individual, the family and society;
- Discuss the impact of psychological, physical and sexual abuse;
- Gain a critical awareness and understanding of the sociological stigmatization of drugs, homelessness, and prostitution;
- Look at the specific relevance and interconnectedness of the above issues for Indigenous peoples; and
- Compare innovative Indigenous programs (nationally and international).