Current Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice (SOC*1000)

Code and section: SOC*1000*01

Term: Fall 2025

Instructor: Stephanie Howells

Details

University of Guelph Department of Sociology and Anthropology
SOC 1000 / Current Topics in Criminology & Criminal Justice / Fall 2025
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Instructor: Dr. Steph Howells Email: showells@uoguelph.ca

Course Overview
SOC*1000 is a 0.50-credit introductory course that addresses some of the most pressing issues in criminology and criminal justice today. We will begin with the foundations underlying how criminologists approach defining, measuring, and explaining criminal (or deviant) behaviours, while encouraging students to adopt a critical lens toward the everyday and media-driven narratives of law making and law breaking. We will then explore a range of topics that reflect current scholarship in the field, including organized crime, cybercrime, policing, youth crime, human trafficking, homelessness, and more. By applying a critical sociological perspective, we will also consider how the criminal justice system intersects with (and impacts people along lines of) age, gender, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity. Throughout the semester, we will predominantly situate our learning within the contexts of Canada and the United States.
Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes for this course are to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of core concepts and current debates in criminology and criminal justice.
• Identify, compare, and contrast an array of important contemporary criminological issues.
• Critically reflect on the social structure and social relations underlying current issues in criminology and criminal justice.
• Cultivate skills for effective reading, respectful discussion, studying, and time management
• Communicate effectively, accurately, and professionally with clear and precise language.
Evaluation Components
In Class Engagement 10% Cumulative – via Top Hat
Perusall Readings 10%
Midterm #1 20% In person during class time
Midterm #2 20% In person during class time
Cumulative Final Exam 25% In person, scheduled through Registrar
Assignment 15%
Readings: Readings will be available through the UofG library’s course reserves and available on Perusall (which is free to use). Assigned readings and in-person lectures are core components of this class and are required.
Required Materials or Technology: Students are required to purchase Top Hat to facilitate engagement with the material during in-person lectures. This engagement is graded.

This draft outline is for informational purposes only; a complete outline will be provided via CourseLink on the first day of classes.