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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "SOSC 320 H"
COURSE NAME: "Policing and Society - HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2025
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Isabella Clough Marinaro
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: SOSC/LAW221 or Permission of Instructor
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course offers an in-depth exploration of the roles, functions, and impacts of police forces within democratic societies. It examines the historical development, philosophical foundations, complexities and contemporary challenges of policing. It addresses debates around evolving strategies such as evidence-based and community-based policing, as well as unpacking contentious issues regarding police relations with minorities and vulnerable social groups. Recent attention to the expansion of surveillance powers and new technologies, the militarization and privatization of police activities, and cases of police violence are also investigated, alongside movements to reform or abolish police forces. By critically engaging with diverse perspectives and empirical evidence, students will be equipped to analyze the effectiveness of law enforcement policies and practices as well as their potential risks.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course combines lectures and in-depth class discussions to explore how policing has evolved since it was first institutionalized, how police responsibilities and actions have expanded, and what can be considered “good” and ethical policing today. The lived experiences of police professionals, the pressures they face, and the rules they are required to respect in their decision-making processes are covered, as are the perspectives of researchers who do ethnographic fieldwork in policing contexts. The course then debates some of the most widely used policing strategies and diverse perspectives on their outcomes. The central section of the course examines some of the most controversial elements of contemporary policing: how officers and forces interact with ethnic/racial, gender and sexual minorities, migrants, protesters and people with mental illnesses. It also unpacks the discussions around the rise in heavy weaponry, surveillance and big data technologies and the proliferation of privatized security/surveillance organizations. The final section then investigates how police forces are adapting to new challenges to their jurisdictions – especially transnational and cyber crimes – and to growing calls for police reform, defunding or abolition.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

·       Recognize the key theories, concepts and terminology used in sociological debates on contemporary policing

·       Understand sociological research design, data gathering and data analysis methods pertaining to police activities and outcomes

·       Reflect on the global dimensions of contemporary policing and interactions across borders and jurisdictions

·       Connect their individual biographies to broader sociological analyses of policing, surveillance and social control

·       Build critical analytical thinking skills and apply them orally and in writing

There is no textbook for this class. Please see the schedule below for readings for each lesson.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Mid-term Exam In-class short-essay exam covering the core concepts and materials discussed so far 20%
Student Presentation in Class 12-15 minute oral presentation on a case-study connected to the topic of the week. Detailed guidelines will be available on Moodle 15%
Final Research PaperStudents will develop a 2,500 word research paper on one of the problems/issues discussed in the course and will debate its dynamics, impacts and possible solutions, drawing from class readings and further bibliographical research.25%
Class participation Attendance is mandatory. Participation is graded based on the student's comments, questions, active note-taking and general active engagement in class discussions and activities. 15%
Final Exam Essay-based exam in which students critically engage with the materials and debates presented in class lectures, discussions and readings 25%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the studentā€™s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until 9 May 2025.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Session

Topic

Reading

Week 1A:

20 Jan

Introduction to the course. Definitions and methodologies



Ray, R., Powelson, C., Fuentes, G., & Doan, L. (2024). The sociology of police behavior. Annual Review of Sociology. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-030222-031902

Week 1B:

22 Jan

Functions of police forces in democracies

Hough, M. (2020). Good policing. Trust, legitimacy and authority. Policy Press. Introduction and Chapter 2.

Week 2A:

27 Jan




Ethics and politics of policing

Miller, S., & Blackler, J. (2016). Ethical issues in policing. Routledge. (Chapter 3: The Moral Justification for Police Use of Deadly Force)

Week 2B:

29 Jan


Brief history of modern policing


Watch this lecture: The History of Crime Fighting in Black America, Khalil Gibran Muhammad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmq2Mlp4k38uhammad (1hr 15)

Week 3A:

3 Feb




Brief history cont’d. Guest speaker.

Pingeot, L., & Bell, C. (2022). Recentring the coloniality of global policing. Third World Quarterly, 43(10), 2488–2508. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2022.2102475

Week 3B:

5 Feb



Recruitment, training and police life


Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=penbjm5z9Qs (13 mins)


Students select readings from Didier Fassin. (2017). Writing the World of Policing: The Difference Ethnography Makes. University of Chicago Press.

Week 3C:

7 Feb

FRIDAY MAKE-UP DAY

Ethnographies of policing. Student Presentations

Students select readings from Didier Fassin. (2017). Writing the World of Policing: The Difference Ethnography Makes. University of Chicago Press.

Week 4A:

10 Feb


Ethnographies of policing cont’d. Student Presentations

Kohler-Hausmann, I. (2018). Misdemeanorland: Criminal courts and social control in an age of broken windows policing. Princeton University Press. (Chapter 1)

Week 4B:

12 Feb


Broken windows and zero-tolerance policing

GascoĢn, L. D., & Roussell, A. (2019). The limits of community policing: Civilian power and police accountability in black and brown Los Angeles. New York University Press. (Introduction)

Week 5A:

17 Feb



Community-oriented and problem-oriented policing

Listen to this podcast: https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/podcasts/the_beat/11-2023/The_Beat_Formolo.mp3


And choose one study/program from this website to summarize briefly to class: https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/

Week 5B:

19 Feb


Intelligence-led and predictive policing

Read this: https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/layout/set/print/content/view/print/234248


Watch this documentary. I can’t breathe: “This is what history sounds like to us,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vk5b995Z7A

Week 6A:

24 Feb



Police and race

Elliot-Cooper, A., J. Solomos, S. Virdee, & A. Winter (2021). Black resistance to British policing. Manchester University Press. (extracts)

Week 6B:

26 Feb

Police and race cont’d

Butler, P. (2017). Chokehold: Policing black men. New Press. (extracts)

WK 7A:

3 March



Policing migration and borders

Loftus, B. (2015). Border regimes and the sociology of policing. Policing and Society, 25(1), 115–125.

Week 7B:

5 March

Mid-term Exam

SPRING BREAK

WK 8A:

17 March


Police(ing) gender and sexuality

Luhur, W. E., Meyer, I. H., Wilson, B. D. M., & Williams Institute (2021). Policing LGBQ people. UCLA School of Law.

Rabe-Hemp, C. E. (2018). Thriving in an all-boys club: Female police and their fight for equality. Rowman & Littlefield. (extracts)

WK 8B:

19 March .

Policing and mental illness

Essay outline due

Barr, Heather. (2001). Policing madness: People with mental illness and the NYPD” in Zero Tolerance: Quality of Life and the New Police Brutality in New York City. Edited by Andrea McArdle and Tanya Erzen. New York: New York University Press, Pp. 50-84

WK 9A:

24 March

Policing dissent


Kretschmann, A. (2023). The rubber brick’s story: A cultural sociology of policing protest in europe. European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology, 233–257. https://doi.org/10.1080/23254823.2022.2121300

Joyce, P. and N. Wain (2014). Palgrave dictionary of public order policing, protest and political violence. Palgrave Macmillan. (extracts)

WK 9B:

26 March



Force, coercion and misconduct

Guest Speaker

Moreno-Medina, J., Ouss, A., Bayer, P. J., & Ba, B. A. (2022). Officer-involved: The media language of police killings. National Bureau of Economic Research. (extracts)

WK 10A:

31 March



Terrorism, surveillance and security

Dosdall, H., & Löckmann, T. (2023). Exploring terrorism prevention: an organizational perspective on police investigations. Journal of Organizational Sociology, 47–72. https://doi.org/10.1515/joso-2022-0002

WK 10B:

2 April



Militarization and privatization of police work

Sparrow, M.K. (2015). Managing the boundary between public and private policing. In Shwartz, R. T. (2015). Modern perspectives on policing: Selected papers. Nova Publishers.

Radley, Balko. (2014). Rise of the warrior cop: The militarization of America’s police forces. Public Affairs.

WK 11A:

7 April



Policing white-collar crimes and cybercrimes

Gottschalk, P. (2021). White collar crime and fraud investigation a convenience theory approach. Routledge. (extracts)

WK 11B:

9 April


Transnational crime and collaborative policing (guest speaker)

Fijnaut, C. J. C. F. (2016). The containment of organised crime and terrorism: Thirty-five years of research on police, judicial and administrative cooperation. Brill. (extracts)

WK 12A:

14 April

Implications of new surveillance and data technologies (bodycams, facial recognition and Artificial Intelligence)


Newell, B. C. (2021). Police visibility: Privacy, surveillance, and the false promise of body-worn cameras. University of California Press. (extracts)


David, K., PBS (Firm), & Kanopy (Firm). (2022). Computers v. Crime. PBS, Kanopy Streaming.


Fussey, P., Davies, B., & Innes, M. (2020). ‘Assisted’ facial recognition and the reinvention of suspicion and discretion in digital policing. The British Journal of Criminology, 61(2), 325–344. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azaa068

WK 12B:

16 April


Diversity and inclusion


Research Papers Due

Lai Quinlan, T. (2024). Police diversity beyond the blue. Policy Press. (extracts)

WK 13A

21 April

NO CLASS

ITALIAN NATIONAL HOLIDAY

WK 13B:

23 April

Accountability and legitimacy

Sparrow, M. K. (2016). Handcuffed: What holds policing back, and the keys to reform. Brookings Institution Press. (extracts)

WK 14A:

28 April

Police reform – theory and practice

Nolan, J. J., Crispino, F., & Parsons, T. (2021). Policing in an age of reform: An agenda for research and practice. Palgrave Macmillan. (extracts)

WK 14B:

30 April

Abolition movements

McDowell, M. G., & Fernandez, L. A. (2018). ‘Disband, disempower, and disarm’: Amplifying the theory and practice of police abolition. Critical Criminology, 373–391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10612-018-9400-4