Course credit
3 credit hours
Course description
Examination of theoretical definition, social impact, and changing relationship between current technological advancements and society's ability to both detect and punish white collar criminals.
Delivery
This course is available in a web-based format, utilizing web pages and WebCT, a computer conferencing program. WebCT requires Internet access and a web browser — no additional software is required. Students may need access to someone who can assist with computer set-up.
This course is available in a print-based format. Mail completed assignments to the GIS Office. We will forward them to the instructor for grading.
Prerequisites
none
Instructor
Gayle Rhineberger , Assistant Professor
I grew up in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. After receiving my B.A. in Sociology from the College of St. Benedict (and St. John’s University) in St. Joseph, MN, I left for Colorado State University, where I obtained by Master’s degree in sociology. Upon completion, I moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to pursue my Ph.D. in sociology from Western Michigan University, which I received in 2003. My dissertation involved a comprehensive test of systemic social disorganization theory. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, I tested how conditions associated with social disorganization impacted the interaction among neighborhood residents, and how this interaction in turn impacted victimization rates within and between neighborhoods.
While at WMU, I taught courses in sociology and criminology, and worked in the Kercher Center for Social Research, where one of my major tasks involved preparing and writing annual evaluation reports for the Kalamazoo County Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program.
My first academic job was at Southwest Missouri State University, now Missouri State University. After two years at SMSU, I accepted a faculty position at the University of Northern Iowa in 2005. I teach courses on such topics as Criminology, Ethics in Crime, Law, and Justice, and Juvenile Delinquency. My research interests include inequality and crime; communities and crime; ethics in crime, law, and justice; media, popular culture, and crime; and juvenile drug courts. I am an active member of the American Society of Criminology and the Midwest Sociological Society.
I currently live in Fayette, Iowa, where my significant other is the Chief of Police. We share our home with one very needy gold retriever who believes he is part human, and two rather particular cats, who don’t like each other or the dog. Never a dull moment in our household!
Evaluation
13 assignments, 3 exams
Overview
This is a course on white collar crime. The term “white collar crime” encompasses a wide variety of individual (lower, middle, and upper class), corporate, and government behaviors. We will cover such crimes as: occupational crime, corporate crime, corporate violence, state-corporate violence, and governmental crime from a sociological perspective. We will examine the historical development and the process by which these activities have come to be defined as “social problems,” leading to their definition as criminal behaviors. We will then describe the extent of these crimes and their costs to society, as well as the problems of attempting to control this illegal behavior. We will cover theoretical explanations for these offenses occur. Lastly, we will examine the criminal justice (state and federal) response to white collar crimes.
Objectives
Basic outline
Assignment 1 - Defining and Studying White Collar Crimes
Assignment 2 - Origins and Purposes of the Corporation
Assignment 3 - Corporate Strategies
Assignment 4 - Corporate Crimes
Exam 1
Assignment 5 - Occupational and Avocational Crimes
Assignment 6 - Governmental Crime: State, and Political Crimes
Assignment 7 - State-Corporate, Globalization, and Finance Crimes
Assignment 8 - Enterprise, Contrepreneurial and Techno Crimes
Exam 2
Assignment 9 - Theoretical Explanations
Assignment 10 - Law and Social Control
Assignment 11 - Criminal Justice Response
Assignment 12 - Challenges, Morality, Law, and the Punishment of White Collar Crime
Exam 3
Assignment 13 - Final Paper
Written assignments
This course is organized as 13 assignments. Assignments 1-12 are worth 20 points. The number of questions for each of these 12 assignment will vary, as will the number of points each question is worth. Some of these assignments may be broad in scope and require you to integrate material from the current assignments readings as well as past readings. Other assignments may be much more specific questions on the readings. Please note that the questions for the assignments are not inclusive of what you need to know for the exam. Rather, these questions are meant to get you thinking critically and academically about the material. Each assignment must be typed and doubled-spaced.
Assignment 13 is a final paper and is worth 60 points.
It is important that for each assignment you fully communicate with me that you understand what you are writing about. Be thorough in your descriptions and explanations. Do not assume that I know what you are talking about or referring to. Be sure your responses are academic in nature and not strictly personal opinions.
I highly recommend that you take notes on each of the readings to use for exam preparation later. Be sure you read everything in the chapter, including the case boxes. Please do not turn these notes in, and be aware that you may not use them when taking the exam.
All assignments must be original. Plagiarism will not be tolerated, and will result in failing the assignment and possibly the course, depending on the nature of the plagiarism.
Exams
There are three proctored exams, each worth 150 points. The first exam will be taken after Assignment 4, the second exam after Assignment 8, and the final exam after completion of Assignment 12. The final exam is not cumulative. Each exam will contain some combination of multiple choice, true/false and short answer essay. The essay portion of the test generally comprises about 30% of each exam. You will likely need between one and a half and two hours for this exam.
To study for exams, read, read, and re-read the material. Go over your written assignments and my comments to them. Use the Key Terms section at the end of the chapter. Also, read through the discussion questions that were not part of your assignments, as I am likely to draw questions, including essay questions, from them. You do not need to memorize dates- I will never ask you to know these. If a date appears in a question, rest assured it is the correct date.
Assistance
I expect you to be an active, responsible participant in your education. Therefore, I welcome questions at all times. I encourage you to contact me as soon as you encounter difficulty with the material, or any time you have questions or simply want to discuss the material in more detail. Don’t wait until it is too late for me to help you.
Grading
Course grades are determined as follows:
Your semester grade is based on the following scale:
Textbook(s)
Bakan, Joel. 2004. The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power. New York: Free Press.
Friedrichs, David O. 2004. Trusted Criminals: White Collar Crime in Contemporary Society. 2nd Ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Texts are available from the vendor of your choice or
University Book and Supply
1009 West 23rd Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone: 319-266-7581 or 800-728-7581
Fax: 319-277-1266
E-mail: bookstore@panthersupply.com
To enroll
ONLINE
GIS enrollment information
IN PERSON
UNI Continuing Education
2637 Hudson Road (corner of 27th St. and Hudson Rd.)
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223
Campus map (Look for Building 31)
For more information
Cindy Klodt, Guided Independent Study
UNI Continuing Education
319-273-2123 or 800-772-1746
ContinuingEd@uni.edu