DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CRIMINOLOGY 2253A
A HISTORY OF CRIME, CRIMINALS, & SOCIETY IN CANADA
FALL SEMESTER 2009
TTH, 11:30am-12:50pm, MMH 202

Dr. Michael Boudreau

Office: Brian Mulroney Hall, Room 404
Office Hours: Thursday, 1:00pm-3:00pm or by appointment.
Office Phone: 452-0501
E-Mail: mboudreau@stu.ca
Website: http://www.stu.ca/academic/crim/boudreau/index.htm

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Criminology 2253A is an historical exploration of crime, criminals, and society in Canada. We will discuss the impact that crime and criminals, and the criminal justice system’s response to them, have had upon the social development of Canada and the lives of Canadians. To this end, Criminology 2253A will examine several key topics and themes in the history of crime, criminals, and society in Canada during the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. These topics and themes include: Aboriginal Justice, Crime, and the Law; Rough Justice; The Machinery of Law and Order; Women, Crime, and the Law; Juvenile Delinquents; Crime, Criminals, and Moral Panics; Racism and the Criminal Justice System; and Moral/Social Regulation.

Criminology 2253A will assess these topics and themes, along with the historical evolution of the rule of law and the criminal justice system, within the context of the class, gender, and ethnic inequalities of Canadian society. Similarly, we will discuss how these inequalities influenced the outbreak of crime and society’s reaction to it, along with those individuals, groups, and behaviours that were labelled as “criminal” and/or “deviant.”

Criminology 2253A will also highlight the role that the State, criminal justice officials (notably the police and judges), social reform organizations, and the media, played in defining crime and determining the punishment of criminals. Finally, Criminology 2253A will draw parallels between the past and the present in an attempt to understand how Canada’s current criminal justice system functions and how Canadian society today views crime and treats criminals.

A series of lectures, tutorial discussions, and written assignments will provide students with the opportunity to critically interpret the history and contemporary nature of crime, criminals, and society in Canada.

PREREQUISITE
The prerequisite for this course is Criminology 1006.

REQUIRED READINGS
All of the readings for this course will be distributed in class on a weekly basis.

GRADING & DUE DATES
Tutorial Participation: 25%
Legal History Report: 10% (Due: Thursday, 8 October 2009, at 11:30am)
Criminal Case Study Report: 15% (Due: Thursday, 5 November 2009, at 11:30am)
Research Paper: 25% (Due: Thursday, 3 December 2009, at 11:30am)
Final Exam: 25% (Tuesday, 15 December 2009, 9:00am - Noon)

GRADING SCHEME
All of the assignments for Criminology 2253A will be assigned a grade according to the Criminology & Criminal Justice Department’s grading structure:

A+ (90% + )
A (85-89%)
A- (80-84%)
B+ (77-79%)
B (74-76%)
B- (70-73%)
C+ (67-69%)
C (64-66%)
C- (60-63%)
D (50-59%)
F (Below 50%)

Students may consult the 2009-2010 St. Thomas University Calendar (Pages 282-283) for a detailed definition of these letter grades, as well as their corresponding grade points. The Calendar is available at http://w3.stu.ca/stu/administrative/registrar/services/calendar.aspx

DEADLINES & EXTENSIONS
The deadlines for this course will be strictly enforced. Each assignment must be submitted directly to me during class time. I will not accept a written assignment outside of the regularly scheduled class time for this course.

Similarly, all written assignments must be submitted in hard-copy format. I will not accept a written assignment as an e-mail attachment.

Students will be assessed a late penalty of 10% of each assignment’s value for each day that the assignment is overdue. This includes weekends and holidays. Extensions will only be granted with a valid medical excuse. Otherwise, extensions will not be given.

DISABILITY
If you have a learning disability, please bring it to my attention immediately. We will then discuss any arrangements that must be made with the Co-ordinator of Services for Student Accessibility for completing the written assignments and writing the final exam for this course. For more information, please consult the “Policy on Students with Disabilities” in the 2009-2010 St. Thomas University Calendar (Pages 291-292).

UNIVERSITY POLICY ON CLASSROOM CONDUCT
In an effort to promote a sound academic culture both professors and students should approach their roles in a professional manner. According to the 2009-2010 Calendar, St. Thomas “is dedicated to free and reasoned discussion, to critical debate, and to the exploration of diverse and competing ideas. Students can expect to be encouraged to participate actively in classes, to enter into intellectual debate, and to have their contributions treated respectfully by their instructors. Instructors can expect students to attend class regularly and to come prepared to contribute effectively to the work of the class. Students can expect their instructors to terminate verbal and other behaviour in the classroom that is not respectful of others. Instructors can expect students to cooperate in the maintenance of a climate that is free from personal intimidation, insult, and harassment.” (Pages 10-11)

UNIVERSITY POLICY ON CLASS ATTENDANCE
It is important for students to know that class attendance is something that I take very seriously. Indeed, frequent absences from this class, without a valid excuse, will detrimentally affect a student’s academic standing in Criminology 2253A. As the 2009-2010 Calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students at all classes. In general, the responsibility for meeting this obligation rests with the student. It is the responsibility of students to notify their instructors when they expect to be, or have been, absent from class for any justifiable reason...It is the prerogative of the instructor to determine when a student’s scholastic standing in any course is being affected adversely by repeated absences.” (Emphasis added. Page 278)

DISMISSAL FROM THE COURSE
As the 2009-2010 Calendar notes, a “student may be required to withdraw from a course for repeated absences.” The procedures that I will follow in order to dismiss a student from this course appear on page 280 of the 2009-2010 Calendar.

UNIVERSITY REGULATION ON LAPTOP COMPUTERS IN THE CLASSROOM
While students may use laptop computers to take notes in class, laptops and “other electronic devices are not to be used in class for activities unrelated to the class.” (Page 278) Moreover, students may not use tape recorders, or other electronic devices, to record lectures or tutorial discussions.

TUTORIAL PARTICIPATION
This portion of Criminology 2253A is worth 25% of the final mark. The readings for each tutorial will be distributed in class on a weekly basis. The tutorial readings are intended to complement the information contained in the lectures and to facilitate discussion and debate on a range of key topics in the history of crime, criminals, and society in Canada. Students are responsible for the material covered in the tutorial readings for the Final Exam.

Students are required to complete all of the assigned readings before each tutorial and to actively participate in the discussions. All of the 25% will be determined on the basis of a student’s ability to offer their critical interpretation of the readings and to contribute to the tutorial discussions in an intelligent and constructive manner.

Those students who do not actively participate, on a continuous basis, in the tutorial discussions, will not receive a passing grade in this portion of Criminology 2253A.

Moreover, frequent absences from tutorials will significantly reduce a student’s participation mark. Attendance will be taken at each tutorial.

The dates and readings for each tutorial are listed in the course schedule section of this outline. The tutorials will be held during regularly scheduled class time in McCain Hall, 202. For the purposes of tutorial discussions, students will be divided alphabetically into two groups. A list containing the names of each student, and their tutorial group, will be distributed in class at a later date.

LEGAL HISTORY REPORT
Due: Thursday, 8 October 2009, at 11:30am. This assignment is worth 10% of the final mark. The Legal History Report will introduce students to the laws governing “rape” and “sexual assault”, and allow students to assess how these laws have changed from 1892 to 1994.

In a minimum of THREE (3) and a maximum of FOUR (4) double-spaced, type-written pages (12pt. font), which does not include the title page, references, and the works cited section, or bibliography, students must summarize the main points of each law - Rape and Attempt to Commit Rape (1892) and Sexual Assault (1994) - including the penalties for each offence as set out in the Criminal Code of Canada and critically analyze the differences between these laws. The Legal History Report must also discuss the significance of these laws to the history of crime, criminals, and society in Canada.

The text for each of these laws may be found on this website: A History of Canadian Sexual Assault Legislation, 1900-2000: http://www.constancebackhouse.ca/fileadmin/website/offence.htm. This link is posted on WebCT. Once you are on this site, click on the “Rape” and “Sexual Assault” icons and the legal text for each law will appear.

Please note that students must use at least ONE (1) academic source (books published by academic presses and/or articles from academic journals), to complete this assignment. Newspapers may also be used for the Legal History Report, but they are not academic sources.

Websites, encyclopedias (printed or on-line versions, such as Wikipedia), and magazine articles, are not academic sources, and thus will not be accepted for this assignment.

A hand-out, which further explains the requirements for this assignment, is posted on WebCT.

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY REPORT
Due: Thursday, 5 November 2009, at 11:30am. This assignment is worth 15% of the final mark. The Criminal Case Study Report will introduce students to an important criminal case in the history of crime, criminals, and society in New Brunswick specifically, and in Canada generally.

In a minimum of FIVE (5) and a maximum of SIX (6) double-spaced, type-written pages (12pt. font), which does not include the title page, references, and the works cited section, or bibliography, students must select either the McKenzie Murders (1857), the Black River Road Tragedy (1869), or a criminal case of their choosing, and summarize the main events of the case, notably the crime, the trial, and the sentence.

The Criminal Case Study Report must determine whether or not the accused received a fair trial, and if the verdict, the sentence, and the punishment were appropriate, according to the laws of the time.

Students may not use any of these cases for their Research Paper.

Information about the McKenzie Murders (1857) and the Black River Road Tragedy (1869), may be found on the website Crime and Punishment in New Brunswick: http://www.unbsj.ca/arts/hist/gregmarquis/cph/index.html. This link is posted on WebCT. Once you are on this site, click on the “Cases” icon to reveal the details of these cases.

If a student decides not to use the McKenzie Murders (1857) or the Black River Road Tragedy (1869), and instead chooses another criminal case to complete this assignment, the case must have occurred in Canada sometime during the 1700-1990 period. Students must consult with me about any case, other than the McKenzie Murders (1857) or the Black River Road Tragedy (1869), in order to ensure its suitability for this assignment.

Please note that students must use at least TWO (2) academic sources (books published by academic presses and/or articles from academic journals), to complete this assignment. Newspapers may also be used for the Criminal Case Study Report, but they are not academic sources.

Websites, encyclopedias (printed or on-line versions, such as Wikipedia), and magazine articles, are not academic sources, and thus will not be accepted for this assignment.

A hand-out, which further explains the requirements for this assignment, is posted on WebCT.

RESEARCH PAPER
Due: Thursday, 3 December 2009, at 11:30am. Research Papers will not be accepted after this date and time without a valid medical excuse. This assignment is worth 25% of the final mark. It is intended to broaden students’ knowledge of a specific topic in the history of crime, criminals, and society in Canada.

Students may choose any topic which focuses on crime, criminals, and/or the criminal justice system in Canada prior to 1990. Research topics may focus on an individual, a law, a crime, a criminal case, or an element of the criminal justice system, such as the police. Students are encouraged to speak with me regarding their topic and the availability of research material.

In a minimum of TEN (10) and a maximum of TWELVE (12) double-spaced, type-written pages (12pt. font), which does not include the title page, references, and the annotated bibliography, students must present a well written and cogently argued analysis of their topic. This analysis must include a discussion of the topic’s significance to the history of crime, criminals, and society in Canada.

In addition to the 10-12 pages of written text, the Research Paper must contain an Annotated Bibliography, comprised of FIVE (5) academic sources (books published by academic presses and/or articles from academic journals).

Websites, encyclopedias (printed or on-line versions, such as Wikipedia), and magazine articles, are not academic sources, and thus will not be accepted for this assignment.

Each source in the Annotated Bibliography must contain FOUR (4) to SIX (6) single-spaced sentences summarizing the thesis and the conclusion, along with the importance of the source to the topic.

Students must also use at least ONE (1) primary historical document to complete this assignment. A primary historical document is any document that was written at the time that an historical event occurred. Examples of primary historical documents for this assignment include, but are not limited to: Criminal Laws and Statutes; Royal Commissions; Criminal Case Files; Court Records; Police Reports; and Newspapers.

A hand-out, which further explains the requirements for this assignment, is posted on WebCT.

FINAL EXAM
The exam is worth 25% of the final mark. It will be written on Tuesday, 15 December 2009, from 9:00am to Noon. A review session for the exam will be held in class on Thursday, 3 December 2009.

The exam is comprised of SIX (6) essay questions and students are required to answer FOUR (4) of these questions. Each answer must be well written and provide a critical interpretation of the question, along with a thesis and a conclusion.

The questions on the exam will pertain to all of the material covered, since the beginning of class on Tuesday, September 15th, up to and including Thursday, November 26th, in the lectures and the tutorial readings. Students must include information from both of these sources in their answers.

WRITING STYLE
Writing style and presentation count for a great deal in terms of assessing a student’s final mark. The proper use of grammar, punctuation, and references, as well as correct spelling, must be followed when completing the written assignments for this course. Each assignment must contain a Title Page, References (APA, Footnotes, or Endnotes), and a Works Cited section or a Bibliography.

If a student submits a written assignment which does not contain references and a works cited section, or a bibliography, their assignment will not be marked and they will receive a grade of ZERO (0%) on that assignment.

Students are encouraged to speak with me about any difficulties that they may encounter while preparing their written assignments for this course. Similarly, once an assignment has been graded, I will only discuss a student’s mark with them in person, in my office, not over the phone or via e-mail. Students should feel free to make an appointment with me to discuss their mark.

As part of this discussion, students must come prepared with a cogently written argument as to why they feel that their grade should be changed.

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT (PLAGIARISM)
Students must not commit PLAGIARISM. Plagiarism is a serious form of academic misconduct which can result in FAILURE in the course or expulsion from the University if it has been determined that a student has plagiarized a written assignment or has cheated on the final exam. In essence, plagiarism is using the research and ideas of others, without properly acknowledging their work with quotation marks and/or references.

The 2009-2010 St. Thomas University Calendar (Page 285) states that plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
1. Presenting another person’s ideas, words, or other intellectual property, including material found on the internet, as one’s own.
2. Writing an essay, report or assignment, or a portion thereof, for someone else to submit as their own work.
3. Submitting an essay, report, or assignment when a major portion has been previously submitted or is being submitted for another course at St. Thomas or any other university without the express permission of both instructors.

Purchasing an essay from a website, or from another person, and submitting it as original work, is also a form of plagiarism.

The following actions are examples of cheating:
1. The use of unauthorized material such as books, notes, or electronic devices.
2. Obtaining by improper means examinations, tests, or similar materials.
3. Using or distributing to others examinations, tests, or similar materials obtained by
improper means.
4. Discussing with another student tests or examination questions that have been
obtained by improper means.
5. Either writing a test or examination for another student or having another student
write a test or examination.
6. Either using answers provided by another student or providing answers to another
student.
7. Copying answers from another student during examinations or tests. (Page 285)

The procedures that will be followed in cases of plagiarism or cheating are outlined on pages 285-287 of the 2009-2010 Calendar. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please do not hesitate to ask me.

HISTORY & CRIMINOLOGY RESOURCES
The Harriet Library (www.lib.unb.ca) is the main library on the STU/UNB campus. Students can search its main catalogue, Quest, for a variety of historical and criminology sources. In particular, students should consult the section “Subject and Course Guides”, which appears on the Library’s website. Once there, select Criminology and History, Canadian, as subjects, and a variety of resources will appear. Links to these subject guides are posted on WebCT.

Marc Bragdon is the Criminology Librarian. Please feel free to speak with him about your research projects. His office hours for the Fall Semester are Wednesday, 10:00am-Noon, room 317D in the Library. If you cannot locate his office, please ask for assistance at the Research Help Desk on the main floor of the Library. Appointments may also be made with Mr. Bradgon. His e-mail address is mbragdon@unb.ca.

The Gerard V. La Forest Law Library (http://lawlibrary.unbf.ca/) is located on the second floor of Ludlow Hall on the UNB campus. The Law Library is an excellent source of research material for this course. Students should consult the e-Resources category which appears on the Law Library’s website.

Copies of The Criminal Code of Canada are also available at the Law Library. The most recent version of The Criminal Code of Canada may also be found at: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-46/index.html.

RESEARCH SOURCES ON COURSE RESERVE
Students should consult the books which are on Course Reserve in the Harriet and Law Libraries for Criminology 2253A. These books contain relevant information, and lists of academic sources, on the history of crime, criminals, and society in Canada.

HISTORY & CRIMINOLOGY JOURNALS
These academic journals, which are located in the Harriet and Law Libraries, either in text-based or e-Journal formats, contain important articles on the history of crime, criminals, and society in Canada:
Acadiensis (Journal of the History of the Atlantic Region)
BC Studies
Canadian Ethnic Studies
Canadian Historical Review
Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Canadian Journal of Law and Society
Canadian Journal of Sociology
Canadian Journal of Women and the Law
Criminal Justice History
Criminal Justice Studies
Histoire sociale - Social History
Journal of Canadian Studies
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency
Journal of the Canadian Historical Association
Law and Society Review

CANADIAN HISTORY WEBSITES
These websites contain resources, including primary historical documents, on Canadian history:
Archives Canada: www.archivescanada.ca
Atlantic Canada Portal: http://atlanticportal.hil.unb.ca
Canadian History Portal: www.canadianhistory.ca
Capital Punishment in Canada: http://members.shaw.ca/canada_legal_history/index.htm
Early Canadiana: www.canadiana.org
Library and Archives Canada: http://www.collectionscanada.ca/index-e.html
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick: http://archives.gnb.ca/Archives/Default.aspx?L=EN

COURSE SCHEDULE

Students must complete all of the assigned readings for each tutorial. These readings will be distributed in class on a weekly basis.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COURSE SCHEDULE & ITS CONTENTS
ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE PROFESSOR’S DISCRETION!

1. Tuesday/Thursday, 15 & 17 September 2009

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF
CRIME, CRIMINALS, & SOCIETY IN CANADA

2. Tuesday/Thursday, 22 & 24 September 2009

THE RULE OF LAW & THE “COMMON GOOD”

3. Tuesday, 29 September 2009

FRENCH, BRITISH, & ABORIGINAL LAWS & SOCIETIES

4. Thursday, 1 October 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP I
“The Queen’s Law Is Better Than Yours”:
ABORIGINAL JUSTICE & EURO-CANADIAN JUSTICE
Readings

5. Tuesday, 6 October 2009

6. Thursday, 8 October 2009

ROUGH JUSTICE & PUBLIC (DIS)ORDER IN COLONIAL SOCIETY

LEGAL HISTORY REPORTS ARE DUE IN CLASS AT 11:30am!

7. Tuesday, 13 October 2009

THE MACHINERY OF LAW & ORDER:
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANADA’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

8. Thursday, 15 October 2009

“Justice I Want If There Is Justice to Be Had”:
WOMEN, CRIME, VICTIMIZATION, & THE LAW

9. Tuesday, 20 October 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP I
UNCERTAIN JUSTICE: WOMEN & THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Readings

10. Thursday, 22 October 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP II
UNCERTAIN JUSTICE: WOMEN & THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Readings

11. Tuesday, 27 October 2009

“Little rebels [who] refuse...to recognize any authority”:
JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

12. Thursday, 29 October 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP I
“is it not an outrage to make convicts of children?”
JUVENILE DELINQUENTS & THE LAW
Readings

13. Tuesday, 3 November 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP II
“is it not an outrage to make convicts of children?”
JUVENILE DELINQUENTS & THE LAW
Readings

14. Thursday, 5 November 2009

THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF FEAR: CRIME, CRIMINALS, & MORAL PANICS

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY REPORTS ARE DUE IN CLASS AT 11:30am!

15. Tuesday, 10 November 2009

ETHNIC MINORITIES, RACISM, & THE LAW

16. Thursday, 12 November 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP I
“Foreigners...get into trouble at the police court”:
THE “OTHER” & THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Readings

17. Tuesday, 17 November 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP II
“Foreigners...get into trouble at the police court”:
THE “OTHER” & THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Readings

18. Thursday, 19 November 2009

REGULATING PERSONAL & “DEVIANT” BEHAVIOUR:
THE LAW & MORAL/SOCIAL REGULATION

19. Tuesday, 24 November 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP I
POLICING “SEXUAL DEVIANTS” IN CANADA
Readings

20. Thursday, 26 November 2009

TUTORIAL - GROUP II
POLICING “SEXUAL DEVIANTS” IN CANADA
Readings

21. Tuesday, 1 December 2009

VIDEO PRESENTATION - THE MONSTER OF MIRAMICHI

22. Thursday, 3 December 2009

FINAL EXAM REVIEW

RESEARCH PAPERS ARE DUE IN CLASS AT 11:30am!

RESEARCH PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DATE & TIME WITHOUT A VALID MEDICAL EXCUSE!

FINAL CLASS FOR CRIMINOLOGY 2253A!