CRIMINOLOGY

SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]

Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

SOC 352-A: Criminology
Department of Sociology & Gerontology, Miami University (Oxford)
Contact Info: Dr. Michael Loadenthal [[email protected]]
Office: Upham Hall 367E (phone 513-529-2764 or 202-681-2057)
Office Hours: Mondays @ 8:30-9:30am, 1:30-2:30pm, 4:30-5:30pm & Wednesdays @ 4:30-5:30

Teaching Assistant: Catie Barry ([email protected]) and Morgan Demboski

([email protected]) are available for assistance regarding the course.

Course Information: This course will explore the relationship between crime and society—the
sociological interpretation of crime, criminal behavior, the criminalization of individuals and
communities, as well as the policies and institutions (e.g. police, courts, prisons) that are the result of
such transgressions. Through an examination of a variety of theoretical, conceptual, practical and
legal perspectives, we will understand some of the ‘causes’ of crime, as well as the social, political and
institutional responses. A series of diverse guest speakers will compliment these perspectives with
experiential knowledge and providing valuable resources for learning. Throughout the course, special
attention will be focused on the relationship between race, class, gender, sex, and sexuality in
constructing crime and victimization, as well as the social responses to crime and criminal behavior.
Students will be challenged to adopt both traditional and critical lenses, and to build a nuanced
understanding of complex phenomena by discussing individuals as intersectional beings—constituted
by a variety of social forces simultaneously. Students will become knowledgeable of specific historical
examples, as well as frameworks for analyzing criminality and victimization more generally, at both
the level of the individual and that of policy.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Develop an understanding of the sociological perspective of the study of crime,
distinguishing major theoretical and conceptual explanations as well as psychological, biological
and sociological frames.
2. Develop an ability to critically analyze and evaluate policies and media reports related to
crime and the impacts of the criminal justice system.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the causes of crime at the individual, group, and societal
levels, and critically evaluate research related to crime and criminal justice.
4. Foster a perspective informed by a synthesized and differentiated inclusion of race, class,
gender, sex, sexuality, citizenship, ability and age to interpret crime, criminality, criminalization,
arrest, prosecution, and adjudication.
5. Acquire a “sociological imagination” concerning crime and socio-political reactions to
crime and criminals allowing students to make connections between criminological theories,
criminological research and public policy.

Required Text: Beirne, Piers, and James W. Messerschmidt. Criminology: A Sociological Approach. 6th
edition. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2014.

Price estimates: Purchase New: $95 | Purchase Used: $40 | Rent: $45

All additional course readings are available via Canvas.

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 CRIMINOLOGY
SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

Course Requirements & Grade Breakdown:
Assignment Due Date

‘Getting to know you’ sheet January 31 @ 11:59pm

Reflective Journals on Guest Speaker (choose 4) 40% 1 per week
Midterm Proposal 20% March 20 @ 11:59pm
• Students will present their proposal to the class 5% March 16 or 18
Final papers 30% May 8 @ 11:59pm
• Students will present their final paper to the class 5% April 27 or 29

Assignments:
Attendance: This is an upper level course, and as such, daily attendance is expected. While you
do not ‘earn’ points for attending, students who miss 4 classes, will have their grade dropped one
letter grade (A- à B-, B à C). Each additional 2 classes missed will drop you one additional letter
grade (e.g. miss 6 = drop two letter grades, miss 8 = drop three letter grades). Attendance on days
when your classmates are presenting is required. Students who miss a class where they were
scheduled to present will receive zero points for that presentation. In-class presentations cannot be
made up. Late arrival to class during a guest speaker day will earn an absence.

Reflective journals: The journals are written in response to the week’s guest speaker, based on
personal reflection, and aim to relate the concepts explored in the class to your own observations
and life experiences. The journal is a space for you to respond, question, critique, and further
analyze the weekly speakers, readings, in-class discussions, as well as remarks by the professor and
classmates. The journals are your way of “putting theory into practice” and experiencing
classroom discussions outside the classroom. In order to determine what to write on, complete the
assigned readings for the week, and think about how you can apply them. When you read about
the various sociological theories and concepts, what did they make you think of? What do you
agree with? What do you disagree with? How do the ideas relate to your own experience, media
you consume, events you witness, etc.? Do not use the journal as a space to summarize or
describe the in-class lectures or guest speakers, instead, respond to the speaker.

The journals must be 2-3 double-spaced pages. The journal must be at least 600 words
excluding references. There is no ‘wrong’ way to write a journal, but your journal must
show evidence that you have completed the assigned readings and have integrated and
applied them. The easiest way to accomplish this is to quote from the text itself (remembering to
use proper citations). When you reference a concept, or quote a specific text, you must provide
an author and a page number (e.g. Smith, 45). If a page number is not available, or if you are
quoting the work in total, use the author’s late name and year of publication (e.g. (Smith, 1975))
For example:

One way I can see the McDonaldization thesis (Nederveen, 285) in my daily life is….
[Citing a concept]

This is clear in what the author describes as “extensive historical overlap between
democratization and social movements.” (Tilly and Wood, 137) [Citing a quote]

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

Beginning with Journal #2, mistakes with citation will incur penalties, so please make sure you
understand when and how to properly cite. If you are confused you may come to office hours,
raise a specific question in class, visit the writing center, or read an online ‘style guide’. The
journal should demonstrate how much time you spent with the readings. It is perfectly okay to
propose questions or raise concerns, but make sure to point to specific text references. If you
choose to not quote from the assigned texts, you must show your ability to apply the ideas in
other ways.
• Students are responsible for submitting four journals throughout the semester.
• You must choose which weeks to write.
• You may only turn in one journal per week.
• The journals may be turned in any time Monday-Friday. For the weeks you decide to
write a journal, it is due before SATURDAY (i.e. by 11:59pm on FRIDAY), via the
“Assignments” tab on Canvas.
• The journal must be turned during the week under discussion

Midterm proposal/annotated bibliography & presentations: In groups of 3-4,

students will complete a ~6-page research proposal (approximately 1,900 words) in preparation
for designing and investigating the final research paper. The final paper focuses on analyzing a
particular criminal case via an explicit theory of criminology.

a.) Begin by choosing a crime (violent/interpersonal/property/political/financial…) and

conducting background research to understand the who, what, when, where and why of the
event/.

b.) Secondly, choose a criminological theory from the list below or locate your own:
1. Social structure and anomie, 5. Labeling theory
institutional anomie theory 6. Differential association
2. Strain theory, general strain 7. Social learning theory
theory, revised strain theory 8. Social control theory
3. Social disorganization and 9. Self-control theory
delinquency 10. Control balance theory
4. Delinquent 11. Conflict theory
subcultures/subcultural theory,
delinquency and drift

c.) Third, decide on a ‘school’ of criminology to discuss vis-à-vis your crime such as:
1. Radical criminology 4. Cultural criminology
2. Feminist criminology 5. Critical humanist criminology
3. Constitutive criminology 6. Green criminology

While the criminological theory serves to explain why a crime may have occurred, the
perspective of the school should frame what types of analysis you pursue, and to what ends. The
final paper is a secondary research project, in other words, you will not be carrying out
your own data collection and analysis, but rather completing your case evaluation based on the
work of other scholars. During the proposal stage, you must include the following five elements,
clearly demarcated:
1. Description of your criminal case.

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

• This should be 400+ words and tell your reader who/what the subject is and why it was
selected
• This section also must include your research question (or questions). Your question
is a key component of your overall project and must be analytical (not descriptive),
unable to be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response, and demonstrate a dynamic, multi-
variable understanding of your subject
2. The theoretical framework through which you will discuss your subject
• This should be 500+ words and can explore the criminological presumptions and
position adopted by the researcher.
• This section should detail your criminological theory as well as your criminological
school.
3. A discussion of your research design for investigating the case and your research question.
In this section students must show evidence that they have considered how you are going to
investigate your subject and theory, and outlined a basic process. Here is where you can
explore the use of statistical data, news media, governmental reports, social media, etc. In
this section you are meant to chart a path from proposal to the answering of your research
question.
• This should be 500+ words and provide the reader with an explanation as to how you
plan to pursue your project
4. A discussion of ethical issues concerning the object and approach.
• This should be 500+ words and explore the possible and likely ethical challenges that
may arise while investigating your case.
5. An annotated bibliography of 20 academic sources (e.g. journal article, book chapter)
including at least 2 primary source documents. An annotated bibliography consists of:
a. Complete citations for sources which you will use to write your final project. The
citation must be in correct bibliographic form. In choosing your sources, try to select
a wide variety of perspectives and document types.
b. Each citation is followed by a brief (5–7 sentences) descriptive and evaluative
paragraph—“the annotation“—which informs the reader of what the source argues
and the relevance of the cited source.
i. The annotation is descriptive and critical to expose the author’s point of
view and authority and your assessment or evaluation of the resource.
c. The bibliography should be single spaced, with a single space between each entry.
The citations should appear in alphabetical order.
d. In writing the annotation, consider these guiding questions; you are not meant to
respond to all!
i. Summarize: What are the main arguments? What is the “so what”? What
topics are covered? If someone asked what this resource was about, what
would I say? Who is the intended audience?
ii. Assess: Is it a useful resource? How does it compare to other resources in
your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is the source biased or
objective? What is the goal of this resource?
iii. Reflect: How is this resource helpful to me? How does it shape my
research/argument? How can I use this resource in my research project?
How has this resource changed how I view the topic?
Proposal-bibliographies are due March 120 by 11:59pm. Completed proposals should be
uploaded to Canvas. Student presentations and peer-review will be during class time on March
16 and 18. Attendance for these days is mandatory and absences will be marked

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

against your project. In designing your 8-10 minute presentation, make sure to cover a.)
your object, b.) research question, c.) possible theoretical frameworks, d.) methodology/research
design and, e.) any possible ethical issues which could arise.
When turning in group assignments, one team member should upload the file, and the
other should upload a blank document which says, ‘Jane is my partner and she turned in our
assignment.’ If both team members turn in the same assignment it will produce a false positive in
the anti-plagiarism detection system. If your presentation involves the use of a Power Point,
Prezi, or any other electronic material, these must be emailed to
[email protected], in order to be used. This is the only email account we
will access during presentation in order to maximize presenters’ time and student privacy.

Case analysis paper & presentation: The final paper must within 2,500-3,000 words
(excluding notes, appendices and references), be completed in the same groups, and build
from your proposal. The paper should detail your criminal case, paying particular attention
to the social, political, economic and wider historical context. Students should aim to
describe, discuss, and analyze the crime through the identified criminological theory and
school of thought, noting how these distinctions inform our understanding of the case.
All papers must include proper citations (e.g. in-text or footnotes) and a
bibliography. Research papers are due May 8 by 11:59pm. Completed papers should be
uploaded to Canvas.
Student presentations and peer-review will be during class time on April 27 and
29. Attendance for these days is mandatory. Presentations should be 8-10 minutes
and include a.) discussion of your overall project, B.) the crime in context, C.) the
criminological theory and how it can be applied, D.) the criminological school and the
impact this has on your understanding.

Guidelines & Requirements for Written Assignments:

The following rules apply to any and all assignments delivered electronically including journals, papers and
exams:
• All assignments should be typed in a standard font (e.g. Times New Roman, Arial),
in 12 pt. font, double-spaced.
• All assignments must be saved with the following file name:
o (Course Number)(Your last name)(Assignment)
o For example “352LoadenthalJournal2.doc”
• All assignments must be saved as documents in a Word file (.doc or .docx). Canvas
can often not read .pages, .odt, .wpd, .gdoc and other file formats.
• All assignments must use proper citations. You are required to use a recognized
citation style (APA, AAA, MLA or Chicago), and to properly cite outside materials. If
you have questions about this please raise them in class or consult with the Writing
Center.
• I reserve the right to check all written assignments for plagiarism through automated
anti-plagiarism mechanisms as recommended by the University.

Course Ground Rules & Policies:

Academic Integrity – I expect all students in all assignments to uphold the standards of
academic integrity as outlined by Miami University. Students who fail to comply will be subject to

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

the procedures and outcomes as articulated by the university. Please review this policy at
http://www.miamioh.edu/integrity/undergraduates/.

Grading Standards
A+ Superior: Student shows excellent critical analysis in oral contributions and writing; all
assignments turned in on time. 970-1000pts, A 930-969, A- 900-929pts
B+ Very Good: Solid work evidenced by careful synthesis of reading, timely contributions
to class discussion, and clear, logical writing; all or most assignments turned in on time. 870-
899pts, B 830-869, B- 800-829pts
C+ Satisfactory: Work demonstrates some understanding of materials and an average
performance in written assignments and class discussion; some assignments turned in on time.
770-799pts, C 730-769, C- 700-729pts
D+ Inconsistent: Meager performance in all assignments and class discussion; late in
turning in written work. 670-699pts, D 630-669, D- 600-629pts
F Failing: Student makes minimal effort, shows little understanding of assignments,
and turns in incomplete or unacceptable work. 599pts and below.

Keeping up with current events – As part of the course, we will frequently discuss local,
national, and international current events. While it is not a graded component of the course,
students are strongly encouraged to regularly read a variety of news services to remain informed.

Noise pollution and other distractions – All cell phones and other communications
devices must be placed on silent during class. If you have to send a message or take a call, please
excuse yourself from class and return when you are finished. You are not permitted to use
a laptop, tablet, or smart phones in class during guest speaker days. The only
exception will be made for students with University recognized documentation stating the
necessity for the computer. Students who do not comply will be marked absent.
Students are permitted to bring food and drink to class, and to consume them during class time,
provided they do not become a distraction for you or your classmates.

There is no such thing as a stupid question – I will support your efforts to understand
themes and issues covered in every way possible. I am available to answer questions and go
over material with you. The classroom is a safe space for us to discuss a range of issues, and will
remain a positive atmosphere. We will support one another and absolutely no forms of
disrespect toward one another will be tolerated.

Contacting the Professor – I am available for meeting and discussion by appointment, or

through email or phone. You must schedule your appointment in advance to ensure I am not
meeting with another student. I will gladly read emails from students. Please allow 24 hours for
response time Monday-Friday. Emails sent on the weekend may not be answered until Monday. It
will also help expedite the process if you keep in mind the following guidelines:
• Email questions should have the “issue” in the title as well as the class name, for
example, “SOC352 Question about group midterm proposal.”
• When sending ANY email, please include a greeting/salutation—“Hello [recipient]”;
“Greetings [recipient]”; “Dear [recipient]” for example. Students should also include
their first and last names at the end of any message. You will receive the same
courtesy from me.
• Since students always ask, you may call me (in person or in email), “Professor”,

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CRIMINOLOGY
SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

“Professor Loadenthal”, “Dr. Loadenthal”, or “Michael”. It makes no difference to
me.
• Please write in complete sentences and avoid text message abbreviations.
• NONE of these protocols should discourage you from contacting me. Rather, it is
simply a range of requests that allow me to be as efficient, attentive, and available as
possible throughout the semester. I will take great respect in responding to you in a
timely fashion.

Excused absences and assignments – It is imperative that you are present each week in
order to fully benefit from this course. Each class is incredibly valuable and knowledge is
cumulative and often builds on previous concepts. Attendance will be taken at the beginning
of each class, and your overall attendance factors into your grade. Absences are excused if you
have a doctor's note or other University-excused documentation for your absence. If you have
a major medical problem, family or personal concern that requires you to miss several classes,
please alert me as early as possible, provide documentation, and I will do my best to help you
stay involved. Due dates for assignments are not subject to negotiation. I will only
consider exceptions for religious holidays, hospitalization, or emergencies of the most extreme
sort. Late assignments will be penalized 10% per day for 3 days. After 3 days, an assignment
will receive no credit.

Student athletes – I will work with you to ensure that your academic progress is not
compromised by team-related travel. It is your responsibility to let me know ahead of time of your
travel plans, and to make whatever arrangements are necessary to make up for activities you will
miss.

Class participation – Participation in class is an essential part of learning, and one cannot
participate without being present. Learning basic material is the responsibility of the individual
and done first outside of class. Class time is then spent using that material in creative and
sophisticated ways as both individuals and teams. Please make every effort to come to class on
time so as not to disrupt discussion once it has begun. Leaving early is also disruptive, so please
limit bathroom breaks and leave class early only when absolutely necessary. Critical scholarship is
constantly in motion, building off of old ideas and incorporating new ones. Class time will be
based around short lectures followed by practicing and applying ideas to the project. To make
sure you are in the best possible position:

1. Complete the required reading. You do not need to worry that you understand absolutely
everything you read, but take notes about parts that strike you as especially intriguing,
important, or disconnected. Think about how it relates to things you have experienced in
different contexts. Think about when it was written and by whom. Think about whether you
agree or disagree and why. This will greatly help you in completing written assignments
throughout the course.

2. Be prepared to ask questions. Whether they are about something you don’t understand in the
reading, or are simply about how other people reacted to a specific detail, questions help move
class discussion along.

3. Be open to new ideas. Much of our readings will challenges our assumptions about the world.
New gender and media studies challenge old gender and media studies, and hopefully, you will
challenge these discourses in ways that you see as lacking in some way. You don’t have to agree

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

with everything that you read or hear, but take the time to think about it carefully before you
decide, or allow yourself to not decide. Most importantly, be respectful to all the opinions
offered in class, and think about why someone might agree or disagree.

4. Participate in ways that make you comfortable. Some people love to talk in class and others are
intimidated. I hope to create an environment where intimidation is minimal, but
don’t fret if you’re not a “talker.” Feel free to come to office hours or email me to find out other
ways you can make your opinions known. And if you are a “talker” please
remember that you may have a funny story related to the class discussion, but unless it
advances our thinking on topic, your anecdote might not move discussion in a productive
manner.

5. Be respectful. Perhaps most importantly, respecting the classroom, your fellow classmates,
and the professor will help you succeed. Paying attention to the discussion and finding
thoughtful ways to contribute will make everyone’s experience more pleasant.

Schedule of Classes
Classes begin: January 27, 2020

Week 1: Introduction
1. Monday, January 27:
• No assigned readings

2. Wednesday, January 29:

• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 1: The problem of crime”

‘Getting to know you’ sheet due Friday, January 31

Week 2: Measuring crime

3. Monday, February 3: Guest Speaker—David Edelstein Esq., former EPA
enforcement attorney
• Potter, Gary. “What Is Green Criminology.” Sociology Review, November 2010, 8–12.
• Nurse, Angus. “Critical Perspectives on Green Criminology: An Introduction.” Internet Journal
of Criminology, 2014, 3–11.

4. Wednesday, February 5:
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 2: The measurement of crime”

Week 3: Criminology as sociology

5. Monday, February 10:
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 3: Inventing criminology: Classicism, Positivism, and
Beyond”

6. Wednesday, February 12:

• Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish. New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1977.
o Part Three—Discipline, part III: Panopticism

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

Week 4: Social structures and theories of crime
7. Monday, February 17:
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 4: Social structure, anomie, and crime”

8. Wednesday, February 19: Guest Speaker—Mark Dowd, SAFE Cincinnati/FBI

• Messner, Steven F., Helmut Thome, and Richard Rosenfeld. “Institutions, Anomie, and
Violent Crime: Clarifying and Elaborating Institutional-Anomie Theory.” International Journal
of Conflict and Violence 2, no. 2 (Focus: Anomie/Anomia) (2008): 163–81.

Week 5: Career Planning for Criminal Justice

9. Monday, February 24: NO CLASS

10. Wednesday, February 26: Guest Speaker—Michael Turner, Center for Career
Exploration and Success, Miami University
Access these sites prior to class, bringing notes of your experience for discussion:
• Discover Your Cluster: https://miamioh.edu/emss/offices/career-center/explore/career-
clusters/cluster-survey/index.html
• Log into What Can I Do With This Major (using your Miami credentials). Locate any
majors/minors and identify or highlight any areas and types of employers that interest you:
http://miamioh.edu/emss/offices/career-center/secure/what-major/index.html

Week 6: Theories of delinquency, subcultures and labeling

11. Monday, March 2: Guest Speaker—T.A. Staderman, FBI
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 5: Delinquent subcultures, subcultures of delinquency,
and the labeling process” (Pages 103-127)

12. Wednesday, March 4:

• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 5: Delinquent subcultures, subcultures of delinquency,
and the labeling process” (Pages 127-139)

Week 7: The Victims of Crime

13. Monday, March 9: Guest Speaker—John Maxwell & Sandi Webster, Hamilton
County Job & Family Services, “Exploring employment & career opportunities
with Hamilton County Job & Family Services”
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 9: Inequality, crime, and victimization” (Pages 215-228)

14. Wednesday, March 11:

• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 9: Inequality, crime, and victimization” (Pages 228-238)

Week 8: Group presentations of midterm proposals and peer-review

15. Monday, March 16:
• No assigned readings

16. Wednesday, March 18:

• No assigned readings

Midterm Proposal due Friday, March 20 at 11:59pm

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

Spring Break March 23 - 29

Week 9: Social Learning and Social Control

17. Monday, March 30: Guest Speaker—Jennifer Nail, Ohio Department of
Rehabilitation and Correction, “Managing High Security Offenders”
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 6: Social learning theory and social control theory” (Pages
141-150)

18. Wednesday, April 1:

• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 6: Social learning theory and social control theory” (Pages
150-161)

Week 10: Conflict Theories

19. Monday, April 6: Guest Speaker—Mark Godsey, Ohio Innocence Project,
University of Cincinnati, “The Innocence project & Wrongful Convictions”
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 7: The conflict tradition”

20. Wednesday, April 8:

• Bystrova, Elena G., and Petter Gottschalk. “Social Conflict Theory and White-Collar
Criminals: Why Does the Ruling Class Punish Their Own?” Pakistan Journal of Criminology 7,
no. 1 (2015): 1–15.

Week 11: Crime from a Law Enforcement Perspective

21. Monday, April 13: Guest Speaker panel—Local law enforcement including
Oxford Police Dept., Miami University Police Dept. and Ohio Highway patrol
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 8: Feminist and critical criminologies”

22. Wednesday, April 15:

• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 12: White-collar crime”

Week 12: Teaching In Prison & Interpersonal Violence

23. Monday, April 20: Guest Speaker—Dr. Jennifer Grubbs, Dayton Correctional
Institution (Antioch College), “Prison Justice & inside-out teaching program”
• The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, “Compiled Excerpts”
• Zurro, Damian. “Guidance on Teaching in Prisons: Learning from Prison.” Inside Higher Ed
(blog), January 31, 2018. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2018/01/31/guidance-
teaching-prisons-opinion.

24. Wednesday, April 22:

• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 11: Interpersonal violence”

Week 13: Political and Property Crime

25. Monday, April 27: Guest Speaker—Timothy S. Mangan, Assistant United States
Attorney, Southern District of Ohio
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 13: Political crime”

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

26. Wednesday, April 29: Guest Speaker—Joe Reder, Drug Enforcement

Administration, “Current Drug Trends in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio Area”
• Beirne & Messerschmidt, “Chapter 10: Property crime”

Week 14: Final group presentations

27. Monday, May 4:
• No assigned reading

28. Wednesday, May 6:

• No assigned reading

Final paper due Friday, May 8, 2020 at 11:59pm

Dates set by the University:

Classes end: May 9 | Study days: May 9 – 10 | Final Examination Week: May 11 – 16

Guest Speaker Biographies

Mark Dowd is the Director of Community Security for the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, and in
this role, directs and coordinates activities relating to the safety and security of Cincinnati’s many
Jewish organizations. He retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after 27 years as a
Special Agent, having worked a myriad of investigations including counterterrorism, organized crime,
counterintelligence and white-collar crimes. He served as an Assistant Legal Attaché in Canada where
he received the Attorney General’s Director’s Award for his role in the investigation and prosecution
of Ahmed Ressam (Millennium Bomber). As a supervisor at FBI Headquarters, he oversaw
investigations such as the 1995 Tokyo sarin gas attack, the kidnapping of American citizens in
Kashmir and the alleged November 17 rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in Athens. He served as a
member of the Cincinnati JTTF for ten years while also serving as the Assistant Coordinator for the
Weapons of Mass Destruction Program and as an FBI Evidence Response Team member. Mr. Dowd
also currently serves as an Associate Security Representative for the National Football League (NFL),
providing security oversight at Cincinnati Bengals games and other select NFL special events. Prior to
joining the FBI, Mr. Dowd received a law degree from the College of William and Mary and an
undergraduate degree (Political Science/Criminal Justice) from James Madison University.

David Edelstein is a partner in the Vorys law firm’s Cincinnati office. His current practice is focused
on environmental regulation, enforcement, environmental liability insurance, and transactional
matters. He works with businesses and government institutions to ensure that their operations are
compliant with environmental law. He provides advice to businesses that helps minimize operational
and legal risks. In his work, he appreciates clients’ desires to keep the environment clean and safe.
Prior to joining Vorys, David served as chief of the criminal enforcement unit for U.S. EPA Region VI
in Dallas, Texas. He also served as a RCRA enforcement attorney for the U.S. EPA. His federal court
enforcement experience includes trial and litigation work, where he worked closely with the
Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys Offices, and other state and federal regulatory agencies.

Mark Godsey is a leading scholar, attorney and activist in the Innocence Movement.
In addition to teaching Criminal Law, Evidence and other courses at University of Cincinnati Law,
Professor Godsey co-founded and directs the Ohio Innocence Project. The OIP is recognized as one
of the most active and successful Innocence Projects in the country, and to date secured the release of

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Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

28 individuals on grounds of innocence who together served more than 525 years in prison for crimes
they did not commit. Professor Godsey is also a regular commentator on issues relating to wrongful
conviction in both the local and national press. Professor Godsey and the OIP have proposed several
significant legislative reforms in Ohio, and worked tirelessly to get them passed into law. Professor
Godsey has been a leading figure in spreading awareness of wrongful convictions around the world,
and with assisting lawyers and scholars in other countries to establish mechanisms for fighting
wrongful convictions. Professor Godsey helped establish the European Innocence Network, on which
he currently serves as a board member. Professor Godsey has clerked for Chief Judge Monroe G.
McKay of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, practiced civil litigation and white collar-
criminal defense in Chicago and New York City, and served as an Assistant United States Attorney for
the Southern District of New York, prosecuting federal crimes ranging from political corruption to
hijacking to organized crime.

Jennifer Grubbs Ph.D., is a professor at Antioch College in the Department of Anthropology. Her
areas of focus include race, gender, and social justice. As a core faculty member with the Prison Justice
Initiative, Jennifer facilitates the Books to Prison Project on campus, as well as facilitates the Inside
Out program. Jennifer currently teaches college courses inside Dayton Correctional Institution that
are evenly comprised of campus students (outside students) and incarcerated women (inside students).
Her work allows students to interrogate the impacts of the carceral system on individuals, mechanisms
of structural injustice and being subjected to punishment, and the promise of restorative justice.

Tim Mangan is an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Ohio and has worked
in that capacity since 2009. He is the National Security Coordinator for the district and primarily
prosecutes national security, financial crime, and computer crime cases. Prior to joining the United
State Attorney’s Office, Tim worked for 10 years as an associate and later a partner at the law firm of
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Cincinnati, where he practiced commercial litigation. He also served as in-
house counsel at Cinergy Corporation, now Duke Energy. Tim received his B.A. from Indiana
University in 1992 and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1995.

John Maxwell is a Human Resources Officer employed with Hamilton County for the last 15
years. He has been employed with the Human Resources Department since October of 2007 where he
focuses on staffing the Children’s Services Division. Prior to joining the Human Resources Team, he
worked as an Assessment worker for Hamilton County Job & Family Services Children’s Services
Division where he was trained as a Forensic Interviewer and focused primarily on physical abuse,
sexual abuse and medical neglect cases. John started his career in Human Services in 1991.

Jennifer Rutherford Nail graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in May of 2000,
earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a criminology focus. Until 2004, she was employed as a
Social Services Worker with Butler County Children Services Board in Hamilton, Ohio, assigned to
the Specialized Investigations Unit, primarily investigating allegations of child sexual abuse. She then
made the transition the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction at Lebanon Correctional
Institution as a Correctional Program Specialist. During her time as a case manager, she worked with
inmates assigned to security levels 1, 3, and 4, and became an instructor for the Ohio Risk Assessment
System in 2011. In May 2012, she was promoted to Unit Manager, and supervised three units,
including Lebanon Correctional Camp. She also served as the Quality Assurance Chairperson for the
University of Cincinnati Program Redesign, which was piloted in her unit. In 2017, she completed
ODRC’s Executive Leadership program. In 2018, she became the Reentry Coordinator for the
Cincinnati Region with ODRC’s Office of Reentry. Jen is from Cincinnati, Ohio. In her free time, she
enjoys cooking, travel, and gardening, and is active in neighborhood safety and improvement
committees.

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SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

Joseph Reder is a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). SA Reder has
been a Special Agent in Cincinnati, Ohio since 2006. In the role of Special Agent, SA Reder is tasked
with investigating the highest level drug offenders in the region, across the nation and beyond. In his
14-year career, SA Reder has participated in countless investigations, arrested and prosecuted
hundreds of individuals, seized drugs, money and assets from convicted drug traffickers and has
travelled globally in furtherance of this mission.

Special Agent T. A. Staderman II graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 2001
with a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Research and Computer Analysis. SA Staderman
and served in the Coast Guard for 7 years of active duty, where he specialized in law enforcement
operations which included migrant and drug interdiction as well as homeland security operations. SA
Staderman entered on duty with the FBI as a Special Agent in 2008 and has been assigned to the Joint
Terrorism Task Force since his assignment in Cincinnati. SA Staderman has specialized in
International Terrorism investigations, with a focus on Sunni and Homegrown Violent Extremism.
TA Staderman is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Michael Turner is a liaison to the College of Arts & Science. He works as a part of the advising
team to provide a full range of career support including job and internship search strategies,
interviewing techniques, and networking resources. Michael is also responsible for the development
and coordination of programs to support students’ career development in the College of Arts &
Science. Michael holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology & Communications from Bowling Green
State University in Bowling Green, OH and a master's degree in Higher Education Administration
from The University of Toledo in Toledo, OH. Please connect with him on LinkedIn at
http://www.linkedin.com/in/hied-michael-turner.

Sandi Webster is the Hamilton County Job and Family Services Ongoing Section Chief. Sandi has
extensive experience in child welfare. She has spent the last 19 years in Hamilton County, leading
many program areas including, Intake and Screening, Assessments, Ongoing and Quality
Assurance/Training. She also led a team the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children and
partnered with police jurisdictions to investigate and assess child sexual abuse, serious physical injury
and fatality cases. Sandi is an expert in program development and implementation, currently having
leadership over the Family Drug Court and the Ohio START Program. Sandi is committed to
building community partnerships to ensure the needs of the families are met.

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CRIMINOLOGY
SOC 352-A (Spring 2020)—3 Credits [CRN 83530]
Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

Lectures in Political Violence, Terrorism, Extremism and Data Science (SJS 350)

1. Mon 2/3: Seamus Hughes, George Washington University Program on Extremism, “A Training in PACER”
(UPH 351)

2. Mon 2/10: Dr. Erin Kearns, University of Alabama (and Miami alum!), “Lying About Terrorism” (UPH 351)

3. Mon 2/17: Dr. Richard Rubenstein, George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution,
“Terrorism and Structural Violence” (UPH 351)

4. Mon 2/24: Emily Gorcenski, First Vigil, “Understanding white nationalism through data science” (UPH 351)

5. Mon 3/16 William Braniff, START at the University of Maryland (UPH 351)

6. Mon 3/30: Dr. Gary Ackerman, University at Albany/START at the University of Maryland (UPH 351)

7. Wed 4/8: Dr. Ryan Scrivens, Michigan State University, “Searching for Extremist Content Online Using the
Dark Crawler and Sentiment Analysis” (UPH 226)

8. Mon 4/13: Dr. Kurt Braddock, Pennsylvania State University, “Framing, Labeling, and State Speech:
Implications for Understanding Radicalization” (UPH 351)

9. Wed 4/29: Athena Chapekis, London School of Economics, “Applied Data Science and Machine Learning”
(UPH 226)

All talks at 2:50-4:10pm and UPH 351 or 226

Guest Speaker Biographies

Dr. Kurt Braddock is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences and Homeland
Security at The Pennsylvania State University. His research focuses on the persuasive tactics employed by
terrorist organizations to achieve strategic objectives, including recruitment and radicalization. Dr. Braddock also
studies how researchers, analysts, and security professionals can use persuasion theory to inform the development
of measures geared towards counter-radicalization. His work has been featured in Studies in Conflict &
Terrorism, Terrorism and Political Violence, Communication Monographs, and other communication- and security-related
outlets. He is the author of an upcoming book titled Weaponized Words: The Strategic Role of Persuasion in Radicalization
and Counter-Radicalization (Cambridge University Press, 2020) which provides researchers, practitioners, and
laypersons with information related to persuasion theory in the realm of political violence. He also consults with
government and non-government organizations, including the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement
Center, the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate, and the U.S. Agency for International
Development, on issues related to counter-messaging.

William Braniff is the Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to
Terrorism (START) and a Professor of the Practice at the University of Maryland. He previously served as the
Director of Practitioner Education and an Instructor at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center (CTC).
Braniff is a graduate of the United States Military Academy where he received his bachelor’s degree. Following
his Company Command as an Armor Officer in the U.S. Army, Braniff attended the Johns Hopkins University
School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) where he received a master’s degree in international relations.
Upon graduation, Bill worked in the nuclear counterterrorism field at the Department of Energy’s National
Nuclear Security Administration, and as a research associate with the CTC Harmony Project at West Point.
Braniff lectures frequently for counterterrorism audiences in partnership with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, Joint Special Operations University, National Defense University, the United States Attorneys’
Office, the Foreign Service Institute, the Diplomatic Security Service, Defense Intelligence

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Agency and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Braniff has also taken a keen interest in the field of
Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). He has consulted with the Department of Justice, the FBI and
the National Security Staff.

Athena Chapekis is a master’s student studying Applied Social Data Science at the London School of
Economics. She obtained her B.A. in Sociology from Miami University in 2019, and is a founding member of the
Prosecution Project. Her research focuses on quantitative analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning.

Emily Gorcenski is a Berlin-based data scientist, activist for social justice, and the creator of First Vigil, a
database of far-right prosecutions. Gorcenski studied computational mathematics at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute in Troy, NY, and has worked as a technologist for over fifteen years. Within this context, her work has
focused on the technology industry, working on both its internal matters such as workplace discrimination, and its
external influences, such as the ethics of data, privacy, social media, and ubiquitous physical computing. As a
survivor of the Charlottesville neo-Nazi attacks, Gorcenski has experienced far-right violence first-hand. This
experience motivated her to research, track, and assess far-right threats in hope to understand the movement and
to prevent future incidents. From this work, she has identified and exposed several far-right figures who have
participated in white supremacist, white nationalist, and neo-Nazi rallies throughout the United States, including
several members of the United States Military. In addition to her professional work as a data scientist, Gorcenski
frequently speaks, writes, and consults on matters pertaining to the far-right. She helped research and appeared
in Documenting Hate: Charlottesville, a ProPublica- and PBS FRONTLINE-produced documentary about the groups
connected to the Unite the Right rally in 2017. She has published works on white supremacist activity in the
United States, ranging from the influence of mainstream politics and media on the Tree of Life shooting in
Pittsburgh, to the involvement of far-right street gangs with links to mainstream political parties. For her efforts
here, and for her work creating First Vigil, Gorcenski was recently named as one of 2018’s most influential
feminists by Bitch Magazine. A skilled technologist, Gorcenski has deep experience in scientific computing and
engineering research and development. Her background is in mathematical analysis, with a focus on probability
theory and numerical analysis. She currently develops principally in Python, though she has a background that
includes C#/.Net, Unity3D, SQL, and MATLAB. Critically, she has experience in statistics and experimental
design, and has served as Principal Investigator in NIH-funded clinical research projects.

Seamus Hughes is the Deputy Director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University. He is
an expert on terrorism, homegrown violent extremism, and countering violent extremism (CVE). Hughes has
authored numerous reports for the Program including ‘ISIS in America: From Retweets to Raqqa’ and ‘The Travelers:
American Jihadists in Syria and Iraq.’ He regularly provides commentary to media outlets, including the New York
Times, The Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, the
Atlantic, CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, BBC, PBS, and CBS’ 60 Minutes. He has testified before the U.S. Congress
on multiple occasions. Hughes previously worked at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), serving as a
lead staffer on U.S. government efforts to implement a national CVE strategy. Hughes created a groundbreaking
intervention program to help steer individuals away from violence through non-law enforcement means, and
worked closely with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, Fusion Centers, and U.S. Attorney Offices. Prior to
NCTC, Hughes served as the Senior Counterterrorism Advisor for the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee. He authored two reports for the Senate: “A Ticking Time Bomb: Counterterrorism
Lessons from the U.S. Government’s Failure to Prevent the Fort Hood Attack” and “Zachary Chesser: A Case Study in Online
Islamist Radicalization and Its Meaning for the Threat of Homegrown Terrorism.” He is a graduate of the University of
Maryland, and a recipient of the National Security Council Outstanding Service Award and two NCTC
Director’s Awards for outstanding service. He teaches classes at George Washington University and Georgetown
University.

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Monday/Wednesday, 10:05-11:25am [UPH 163]

Dr. Erin Kearns is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at
the University of Alabama. Her primary research utilizes a multidisciplinary and multi-method framework to
understand the relationship among the public, law enforcement, and terrorist organizations. Her other research
interests include violence and nonviolence in conflict and geographic patterns of crime and violence. She has
authored numerous papers, including “When to Take Credit for Terrorism?: A Cross-National Examination of Claims and
Attributions,” “Why Do Some Terrorist Attacks Receive More Media Attention Than Others?,” and “When Data Don’t Matter:
Exploring Public Perceptions of Terrorism.” She has been an invited guest for multiple media outlets, including NPR’s
All Things Considered (Code Switch segment), ABC Australia (Radio National), and CNN Newsroom with
Brooke Baldwin. She is also the recipient of many research grants and academic awards. She holds a PhD in
Criminology and Public Policy from the School of Public Affairs at American University, an MA in Forensic
Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a BA in Political Science and Psychology from Miami
University.

Dr. Richard E. Rubenstein is University Professor of Conflict Resolution and Public Affairs at George
Mason University, holding degrees from Harvard College, Oxford University (as a Rhodes Scholar), Harvard
Law School, and the University of Malta. A former lawyer, political scientist, and director of S-CAR, he is the
author of nine books about various types of violent social conflict and the possibilities of resolving them
nonviolently. His most recent book is Resolving Structural Conflicts: Violent Systems and How They Can Be
Transformed (Routledge, 2017). Rubenstein teaches grad and undergrad courses on conflict theory and speaks
publicly on issues of peace and social justice.

Dr. Ryan Scrivens is an Assistant Professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University
(MSU). He is also a Visiting Researcher at the VOX-Pol Network of Excellence and a Research Associate at
the International CyberCrime Research Centre (ICCRC) at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Ryan conducts
problem-oriented, interdisciplinary research, with a focus on the local, national, and international threat of
terrorism, violent extremism, and hatred as it evolves on- and offline. His primary research interests include
terrorists’ and extremists’ use of the Internet, right-wing terrorism and extremism, preventing and countering
violent extremism, hate crime, research methods and methodology, and computational social science. His
research can be found in, amongst others, Terrorism and Political Violence, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Behavioral
Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression, Deviant Behavior, and Critical Criminology. He has presented his research
before the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Swedish Defence
Research Agency in Stockholm, and the Centre of Excellence for National Security in Singapore, to name a few.
His research has been funded by Public Safety Canada, the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism,
Security and Society (TSAS), and the VOX-Pol Network of Excellence. Ryan’s work has been featured in over
100 new stories (television, radio, print) and covered by an array of national and international media sources,
including BBC News, The New York Times, and CBC News. He received a PhD in criminology from SFU, as well as
an MA and BA (Hons) in criminology from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Special Agent T. A. Staderman II graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 2001 with a
Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Research and Computer Analysis. SA Staderman and served in the
Coast Guard for 7 years of active duty, where he specialized in law enforcement operations which included
migrant and drug interdiction as well as homeland security operations. SA Staderman entered on duty with the
FBI as a Special Agent in 2008 and has been assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force since his assignment in
Cincinnati. SA Staderman has specialized in International Terrorism investigations, with a focus on Sunni and
Homegrown Violent Extremism. TA Staderman is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio.

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