JCU Logo
JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "SOSC 320"
COURSE NAME: "Policing and Society"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2026
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Isabella Clough Marinaro
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 11:30 AM 12:45 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 25%
Notes and participation in discussion on The Danger ImperativeDetailed guidelines will be available on Moodle 10%
Final Research PaperStudents will develop a 1,500-2,000 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 student’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 8 May 2026.
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 (to be done in preparation for the following lesson)

Week 1A:

19 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.

Week 1B:

21 Jan

Functions of police forces in democracies

Introduction: Garriott, W. C. (2013). Policing and contemporary governance: The anthropology of police in practice. Palgrave Macmillan.

Week 2A:

26 Jan

Ethics and politics of policing

Start reading The Danger Imperative (see guidelines on Moodle)

Week 2B:

28 Jan

Brief history of modern policing

Watch this lecture: The History of Crime Fighting in Black America, Khalil Gibran Muhammad

Week 3A:

2 Feb

Brief history cont’d.

Bland, E. (2025). Colonial policing practices in Queensland and their contemporary legacies. Policing and Society, 35(5), 646–661.

Week 3B:

4 Feb

Recruitment, training and police life

Continue reading The Danger Imperative (see guidelines on Moodle)

Week 3C:

6 Feb

FRIDAY MAKE-UP DAY

Police life cont’d

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

Week 4A:

9 Feb

Broken windows and zero-tolerance policing

Introduction: Gascón, 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.

Week 4B:

11 Feb

Community-oriented and problem-oriented policing

Finish reading The Danger Imperative (see guidelines on Moodle)

Week 5A:

16 Feb

Discussion of book: The Danger Imperative

Sandhu, A., & Fussey, P. (2021). The ‘uberization of policing’? How police negotiate and operationalise predictive policing technology. Policing and Society, 31(1), 66–81.

Week 5B:

18 Feb

Intelligence-led and predictive policing

https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/topics/community%20policing

Week 6A:

23 Feb

Police and race

Wicks, N. (2025). The Racial Ideology of the British Police: Protecting and Maintaining the Racial Interests of the White Institution. The British Journal of Criminology, 65(2), 298–313.

Week 6B:

25 Feb

Police and race cont’d

Study for mid-term exam


Optional: Watch this documentary. I can’t breathe: “This is what history sounds like to us”

WK 7A:

2 March

Mid-term Exam

Chapter 12: Bosworth, M., Franko, K., Lee, M., & Mehta, R. (2024). Handbook on border criminology. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Week 7B:

4 March

Policing migration and borders

Chs. 10 & 11: Rabe-Hemp, C. E. (2018). Thriving in an all-boys club: Female police and their fight for equality. Rowman & Littlefield.

SPRING BREAK

WK 8A:

16 March

Police(ing) gender and sexuality

Girardi, R. (2022). ‘It’s easy to mistrust police when they keep on killing us’: A queer exploration of police violence and LGBTQ+ Victimization. Journal of Gender Studies, 31(7), 852–862.

WK 8B:

18 March

Police(ing) gender and sexuality cont’d

Wittmann, L., Groen, G., Ogorka, J., & Jörns-Presentati, A. (2021). “I Didn’t Know What They Wanted From Me”–the Perspective of Individuals with Mental Disorders on Police Interventions. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 36(3), 537–542.

WK 9A:

23 March

Policing and mental illness

Essay outline due

Ricciardelli, R., Czarnuch, S. M., Kuzmochka, N., & Martin, K. (2021). ‘I’m not sick!…Are you?’ Groupthink in police services as a barrier to collecting mental health data. International Journal of Police Science & Management, 23(4), 331–344.

WK 9B:

25 March

Policing and mental illness cont’d

Group A: Fajardo-Heyward, P., Kiyani, G., & Martínez Machain, C. (2024). Shifting police strategies: US aid and repression by public safety institutions in Latin America. Journal of Human Rights, 23(5), 548–565.


Group B: Oliveira, T. R. (2025). Legal cynicism, intrusive policing, and the dynamics of police legitimacy: evidence from Brazil’s largest city. Law & Society Review, 59(3), 548–583.

WK 10A:

30 March

Force, coercion and misconduct

Selmini, R., & Di Ronco, A. (2023). The Criminalization of Dissent and Protest. Crime and Justice, 52(1), 197–231.

WK 10B:

1 April


Policing dissent

Group A: Delehanty, C., Mewhirter, J., Welch, R., & Wilks, J. (2017). Militarization and police violence: The case of the 1033 program. Research & Politics, 4(2).


Group B. Stavro, M., & Welch, R. M. (2024). Does Police Militarization Increase Repression? Journal of Conflict Resolution, 68(5), 964–992.

WK 11A:

6 April

NO CLASS

ITALIAN NATIONAL HOLIDAY

WK 11B:

8 April

Militarization and privatization of police work

Finish research papers

WK 12A:

13 April

Transnational crime and collaborative policing (guest speaker)

Research Papers Due

Documentary: Computers versus Crime

WK 12B:

15 April

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

Students do own research on effects of BWCs

WK 13A

20 April

Implications cont’d

Green, E., Kuczynski, B., McGuirk, M., & Reichert, J. (2022). The

effectiveness and implications of police reform: A review of the literature. Illinois Criminal

Justice Information Authority.

WK 13B:

22 April

Police reform – theory and practice

McDowell, M. G., & Fernandez, L. A. (2018). ‘Disband, disempower, and disarm’: Amplifying the theory and practice of police abolition. Critical Criminology, 373–391.

WK 14A:

27 April

Abolition movements


WK 14B:

29 April

Conclusions and review