Criminal Justice 240

History of Crime and Criminal Justice in America

Professor: Frank Morn
Office: 412 Schroeder
Phone #: 438-7853
E-Mail: ftmorn@ilstu.edu

Intent: This course surveys the history of crime and criminal justice institutions in America from colonial to recent times. It poses the notion that clear understandings, strategies and solutions for current-day problems can occur only with a knowledge of their historical development.

Thesis: Crime and criminal justice are mirrors of American society.

Objectives: At the end of the course the student should be able to think, discuss and write about modern-day crime and criminal justice issues from the following perspectives. The student will be able to see the:

  1. ways religion and religious values have shaped criminal justice issues and practices.
  2. importance of the frontier in shaping crime and criminal justice in America.
  3. importance of politics in any consideration of crime and criminal justice development.
  4. problems of freedom and liberty in a democratic and capitalist society.
  5. persistence of xenophobia, racism and sexism in American culture.
  6. general fear and reluctance of expanding governmental power, particularly in the area of federal government and federal criminal justice.
  7. forces that changed the attitudes as set forth in #6.
  8. quest for an urban and economic discipline by elites.
  9. legacy of private people doing criminal justice tasks.
  10. origins and development of the criminal law and court procedures.
  11. origins and development of criminology as an explanation of crime.
  12. importance of popular culture in forging ideas about crime and criminal justice.
  13. origins and development of policing in America.
  14. origins and developments of correctional ideas and institutions.
  15. origins and developments of "criminal justice" as an academic discipline.
  16. relevance between the class thesis and the statement at the end of this handout.

Attendance: It is required and will have an impact upon your individual class standing and evaluation.

Texts: No general textbook is required for purchase but several may be recommended for those who desire them. There will be a "PIP" purchase necessary. Among other things, an extensive bibliography on the course will be in that above mentioned "PIP" publication.

Reading: