Mayely’s Profile

This course ex­am­ines the his­tory of crim­i­nal pun­ish­ment in West­ern so­ci­ety, em­pha­siz­ing the United States. The course high­lights so­cial forces (po­lit­i­cal, re­li­gious, eco­nomic, and tech­no­log­i­cal) shap­ing pun­ish­ment; re­views com­mon the­o­ries (de­ter­rence, ret­ri­bu­tion, re­ha­bil­i­ta­tion, in­ca­pac­i­ta­tion, and restora­tion) and ex­am­ines how the­ory re­lates to pol­icy. The course takes a crit­i­cal ap­proach to cor­rec­tional sys­tems and poli­cies by con­sid­er­ing dis­par­i­ties and struc­tural in­equal­i­ties. Em­pir­i­cal ev­i­dence is used to ex­am­ine con­tem­po­rary crises of pun­ish­ment (i.e., mass in­car­cer­a­tion, school-to-prison pipeline) as well as prison cul­ture, staffing, pri­va­ti­za­tion, and pris­oner civil rights. Al­ter­na­tives to tra­di­tional pun­ish­ment, es­pe­cially restora­tive jus­tice mod­els, are ex­plored.

This course examines the history of criminal punishment in Western society, emphasizing the United States. The course highlights social forces (political, religious, economic, and technological) shaping punishment; reviews common theories (deterrence, retribution, rehabilitation, incapacitation, and restoration) and examines how theory relates to policy. The course takes a critical approach to correctional systems and policies by considering disparities and structural inequalities. Empirical evidence is used to examine contemporary crises of punishment (i.e., mass incarceration, school-to-prison pipeline) as well as prison culture, staffing, privatization, and prisoner civil rights. Alternatives to traditional punishment, especially restorative justice models, are explored.

This course takes a crit­i­cal ap­proach to the study of crime and jus­tice in urban set­tings. Course ma­te­ri­als ex­am­ine con­tem­po­rary crime-re­lated is­sues that af­fect urban com­mu­ni­ties within a his­tor­i­cal and so­ci­o­log­i­cal con­text. The course high­lights the in­ter­sec­tions of de­viant be­hav­ior and the crim­i­nal jus­tice sys­tem within the struc­tures of class, race, gen­der, and power in­equal­i­ties. Top­ics ex­plored may in­clude racial pro­fil­ing, ju­ve­nile delin­quency, media rep­re­sen­ta­tions of crime, polic­ing, the war on drugs, and pris­oner re-en­try. At BMCC, stu­dents must have com­pleted both the CRJ 101: In­tro­duc­tion to Crim­i­nal Jus­tice course, as well as CRJ 102: Crim­i­nol­ogy as pre-req­ui­sites to en­roll in CRJ 204.

This course takes a critical approach to the study of crime and justice in urban settings. Course materials examine contemporary crime-related issues that affect urban communities within a historical and sociological context. The course highlights the intersections of deviant behavior and the criminal justice system within the structures of class, race, gender, and power inequalities. Topics explored may include racial profiling, juvenile delinquency, media representations of crime, policing, the war on drugs, and prisoner re-entry. At BMCC, students must have completed both the CRJ 101: Introduction to Criminal Justice course, as well as CRJ 102: Criminology as pre-requisites to enroll in CRJ 204.