RevisedJune2017

GESM12035394R/Crime&PunishmentinL.A. Units:4Term—Day—Time:Spring2018;T&Th;3:30-4:50Location:VonKleinSmidCenter(VKC)254Instructor:ProfessorMelissaDaniels-RauterkusOffice:THH439OfficeHours:TuesdaysandThursdaysfrom2-3pmandbyappointmentContactInfo:rauterku@usc.edu;(213)740-2808;Skype:m.rauterkus718@gmail.com:Timelineforreplyingtoemails/calls:Igenerallyansweremails/phonecallsduringbusinesshours,i.e.Mon-Fri.,

from9am-5pm.Iwillreplytoallmessageswithin48hours.

TeachingAssistant:NAOffice:OfficeHours:ContactInfo:Email,phonenumber(office,cell),Skype,etc.

ITHelp:USCInformationTechnologyServicesHoursofService:Telephonesupportavailable24hrs./perday,7days/wk.EmailsupportavailableMon.-Fri.from8am-6pm.ContactInfo:consult@usc.edu;(213)740-5555;seealsoDornsifeTechnologyServicesatdornsife.usc.edu/contact-cts/ CourseDescriptionNowhereinL.A.isthegapbetweentherichandthepoorwiderthanitisinthecriminaljusticesystem.Therichandthefamousoftengounpunished,whilethepoorgotoprison.Raceandgendercompoundthisinequality,asmenandwomenofcoloraredisproportionatelystoppedbythepolice,chargedwithcriminaloffenses,andgivenharshersentencesthanwhites.Inthisseminar,wewillexaminecrimeandpunishmentinL.A.byconsideringawiderangeofnarrativestakenfromlaw,literaryjournalism,documentaryfilm,andpopularculture.Thecentralquestionatthe

heartofthiscourseis:Whatdoesjusticelooklikeinthe“cityofAngels”?InourcriticalanalysisoftheRodneyKingverdictandtheO.J.Simpsontrial,studentswillbetaughthowtothinkandwriteaboutlegalnarrativesandpopularculture.Inourreadingofnon-fictionalworkslikeJillLeovy’sGhettosideandEdwardHumes’sNoMatterHowLoudIShout,studentswillcontemplatequestionsofauthorship,representation,andracialbiasinreporting.Studentswillalsolearnhowtoapplyconcepts

fromtheoreticalworklikeFoucault’sDisciplineandPunishandMichelleAlexander’sTheNewJimCrowtoaddcontextanddepthtoourconversationsaboutcrime,inequality,andsocialjustice.

SyllabusforCOURSEID,Page2of8

LearningObjectives• Understandhumanexperienceas

narrative• Engagewithideasandvaluesatthecore

ofWesterncivilization,suchasjustice,ethics,anddemocracy

• Learnhowtoread,think,andwritecriticallyaboutcomplexissues

• Reflectonhowrace,class,andgenderaffectournarrativesofhumanexperience,especiallywithinthecriminaljusticesystem

• Learnhowtoassesslegalnarrativesfrommultiplevantagepointsandhowtodevelopinformedopinionsaboutcontemporarysocio-politicalcrises.

Prerequisite(s):NACo-Requisite(s):NAConcurrentEnrollment:NARecommendedPreparation:NA

CourseNotesGradingType:LetterThisisaweb-enhancedcoursethatutilizesBlackboard.Iwillpostassignments,lecturenotes(occasionally),andsupplementalreadingsanddigitalcontent.PleasecheckBlackboardforimportantannouncements,coursematerials,andinformalwritingassignmentthreads.Thiscoursealsoutilizesvisualmedia.BecausethesefilesaretoolargetouploadontoBlackboard,theywillbeavailablethroughcoursereserve,YouTubeorotherinstantstreamingservices.TechnologicalProficiencyandHardware/SoftwareRequiredBeginner;accesstoBlackboardandtheabilitytoviewdigitalcontent.RequiredReadingsandSupplementaryMaterialsMichelleAlexander,TheNewJimCrow:MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindnessMichelFoucault,Discipline&Punish:TheBirthofthePrisonEdwardHumes,NoMatterHowLoudIShout:AYearintheLifeofJuvenileCourtJillLeovy,Ghettoside:ATrueStoryofMurderinAmerica*AdditionalreadingswillappearonBlackboardDescriptionandAssessmentofAssignmentsTheassignmentsforthisclasswillconsistofpreparatoryreadingorviewingfilmsforclass,severalshorttomoderatelengthessays,andafinalseminarpaperof5-7pages.Seebelowfordescriptionsandguidelines:

1. DefinitionAssignment(1page)—WhenyouthinkaboutcrimeandpunishmentinL.A.whatcomestomind?Pickasingleword.Defineitusingyourownlanguageandincluderelevantexamplesfromyourownexperience,yourcommunity,orfromcurrentevents.Whyisthiswordsignificant?Howisitessentialtotheconcernsofthisclass?

2. ResponseEssay(2-3pages)—Selectoneofthereadingswehavediscussedinclass.Privilegingyourownvoiceandperspective,tellmewhatyouthinktheauthorwastryingtosay,achieve,orreveal.Whatisyourpersonalpositioninrelationshiptotheauthor’s?Howdoestheworkaffirmorchallengeyourownexperienceorviewpoint?Howdidtheworkaffectyou?Thepurposeoftheresponseessayistoestablishapersonalconnectionwithaculturalartifactorobjectofanalysis.

SyllabusforCOURSEID,Page3of8

Thisisamoresubjectiveexercise.Donotprovideasummaryofthework.Donotprovideaformalacademicappraisal.Focusonwhatyoufeelandwhatyouhavetosayaboutwhatyouread.

3. CriticalThinkingEssay(3-4pages)—Selectatopicoraworkthatwehavediscussedandcreatean

originalargumentaboutit.Yourthesisshouldbecomplex—neithereasilyprovableordisprovable.Usingrelevantexamplesandevidentiarymaterial,supportyourargumentacrossseveralparagraphs.Youshouldincludeatleast3sources.Youressayshouldhaveahighlyorganizedstructure.Youneedtodraftanintroductionthatgrabsthereader’sattention,introducesyourtopic,providesbriefbackgroundinformationandcontext,andstatesyourthesis.Includebodyparagraphsthatadvanceyourargumentusingtopicsentences,concretedetails(examples),andcommentary(presentationandinterpretationofevidence).Draftaconclusionthatsumsupthevalueofyourargumentinalargercontext.Whatarethestakes?Whydoesitmatter?

4. FilmAnalysisEssay(4-5pages)—Selectoneofthedocumentarieswehaveviewedanddiscussedin

class.Writeacriticalessaythatprovidesanappraisalofthefilm.Focusonboththeformal(process)andthematicconcerns(content)ofthefilm.Youmaychoosetowriteaboutasinglescene,afilmtechniqueandhowitaffectsthenarrative,orissuesconcerningproductionandreception.Asamedium,howisfilmdifferentfromwrittennarratives?Whatistheculturalpowerofcinema?

5. SeminarPaper(5-7pages)—Thiscourseculminatesinaseminarpaper.Thisessayshouldreflect

yourmasteryofthecontentwestudiedoverthecourseofthesemester.Towardsthisend,itshouldbeyourbestandmostsophisticatedwork.Intermsofstructure,itresemblesthecriticalthinkingessay,butitshouldmakebroaderclaims,engagewithmorescholarlyandculturalsources,andspellouttheimplicationsofitsargumentinthecontextofthecurrentpoliticalmoment.Whydoesthismatteroutsideofthisclass?Whydoesthismatternow?

GradingBreakdown

Assignment Points %ofGradeParticipation 100 10DefinitionEssay 100 15ResponseEssay 100 15CriticalThinkingEssay 100 15FilmAnalysisEssay 100 15SeminarPaper 100 30

TOTAL 600 100 GradingScaleCoursefinalgradeswillbedeterminedusingthefollowingscaleA 95-100A- 90-94B+ 87-89B 83-86B- 80-82C+ 77-79

C 73-76C- 70-72D+ 67-69D 63-66D- 60-62F 59andbelow

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AssignmentRubricA-range(90-100):Essayprovidesasophisticatedanalysisofthetopicorworkinquestion;containsanidentifiableargumentandengageswiththematerialinacomplexwaytoilluminatecultural,historicalorpoliticalissuesrelevanttoitsdiscussion.Theessayiswell-writtenandhighlypolished.TheessayisformattedaccordingtoAPA,MLA,orChicagocitationguidelines.(Usethestyleyouaremostfamiliarwithorthestyleofyourintendedmajor,providedyouhaveone.Ifindoubt,pleasecontactmeforinstruction.)B-range(80-89):Essayprovidesasolidanalysisofthetopicorworkinquestionandattemptstoengagewiththematerialinacomplexandthoroughmanner,butitdoesnotfullyaddressalloftherelevantissuesordoesnotprovideathoroughaccountingofthecultural,historical,orpoliticalfactorsinvolved.Theessaymayhaveafewcompositional,structural,orgrammaticalerrors.Theessaymaycontainminorcitationerrors.C-range(70-79):Essaydoesnotprovideacompellinganalysisofthetopicorworkinquestionanddoesnotearnestlyattempttoaddressthecultural,historical,orpoliticalrealmsinacomplexway.Theargumentisunderdeveloped.Theessaymayhaveseveralcompositional,structural,orgrammaticalerrors.Theessaymayhavemultiplecitationerrorsormaynotproperlycitesourcesorincludeabibliography.D-range(60-69):Essaylacksanargumentanddoesnotdotheworkofanalysis.Theessaydoesnotengagewiththerelevantmaterialanddoesnotaddresscultural,historical,orpoliticalissues.Theessaymayberifewithcompositional,structural,orgrammaticalerrors.Theessaymaynotreflecttheuseofacitationmethod.F(59andbelow):Theessaydoesnotdemonstrateappropriatescholarlyeffort/engagementorthestudentfailedtosubmittheassignment.AssignmentSubmissionPolicyAssignmentsaredueonthedaylistedonthesyllabus.Pleasesubmitallworktypedanddouble-spacedinhardcopyformat.Pleasedonotemailmeelectronicversionsofyourwork,unlessyouhavereceivedpermissioninadvance.GradingTimelineAssignmentswillbegradedandreturnedwithinonetotwoweeksofsubmission.AdditionalPolicies

1. AttendanceandParticipation:Consistentattendanceandparticipationisabsolutelycriticaltoyoursuccessinthisclass.Trytocometoclasswith2-3comments/questionspreparedinadvance.Pleasedonotcometoclasslateorleaveearly,asthisisrudeanddisruptivetomeandyourfellowclassmates.Ifyouneedtoarrivelateorleaveearlyonaspecificday,letmeknowassoonaspossible.

2. Late/MissingWork:Inordertoreceivefullcredit,allassignmentsmustbesubmittedbyorontheirrespectiveduedates.Lateassignmentswillbedockedby5%foreachweekthattheyarelate.Anyoutstandingworkthatyouwantincludedinthefinalgrademustbesubmittedbeforethelastweekofclass.

3. CourseFormat/MeetingStructure:

Theformatofthiscourseisahybridoflectureanddiscussion.ImayrelyonBlackboardposts,smallgroupactivities(ifattendancepermits),orvisualaidstostructureourdiscussiontime.Alwaysbringthereadingmaterialtoclass.

4. In-classBehavior:Youareexpectedtodemonstrateproperacademicetiquetteatalltimes.Please

donotcheckand/orsendemailswhileinclass,text-message,orcompleteassignmentsforother

SyllabusforCOURSEID,Page5of8

classes.Youarewelcometobringbeveragestoclass,butpleasedonoteatinclass,asitcanbedistracting.Pleaserefrainfromvoicingopinionsthatmaybeperceivedasbeingoffensiveorinsensitive.

CourseSchedule:AWeeklyBreakdown

Topics/DailyActivities ReadingsandHomework DeliverableWeek1

Introduction1/09:CourseOverview/Syllabus1/11:Louryandmassincarceration—thenewcivilright’sissueofourgeneration

GlennC.Loury,“Crime,inequality,&socialjustice”(BB;due1/11)MichelleAlexander,TheNewJimCrow(Introduction;due1/16)

Week2

TheColorofJustice:Racial&EconomicDisparityintheLegalSystem1/16:theNewJimCrow&theconstructionofthecarceralstateinCalifornia1/18:Gibeautandthecelebrityeffect

JohnGibeaut,“CelebrityJustice:TheRichandFamousGetStarTreatment,CreatingtheAppearanceofaTwo-TieredCourtSystem”(BB;due1/18)SikivuHutchison,“FromEuliaLovetoRedelJones,LAPD’sMurderousReign”(BB;due1/23)

DefinitionEssay(due1/16)

Week3

HistoricalConsiderations:RaceandPolicinginLA1982-19921/23:viewJohnRidley’sLetItFall(documentary)1/25:finishLetItFall

WorkonresponseessayWorkonresponseessay

Week4

TheRodneyKingSaga&theLARebellion1/30:WhowasRodneyKing?AndwhathappenedonMarch3,1991?2/01:thereport’sfindings@SpecialCollections/DohenyLibrary

TheChristopherCommissionReport(chapter1&summaryofthereport;BB;due2/01)JamesR.Lasley&MichaelHooper,“OnRacism&theLAPD:WastheChristopherCommissionWrong?”(BB;due2/06)

ResponseEssay(due1/30)

SyllabusforCOURSEID,Page6of8

Week5

LatashaHarlins:Race,Gender,&MediaRepresentationoftheRiots2/06:LatashaHarlins/riots2/08:LatashaHarlins/riots

BrendaE.Stevenson,“LatashaHarlins,SoonJaDu,andJoyceKarlin”(BB;due2/08)JoãoH.CostaVargas,“TheLosAngelesTimes’Coverageofthe1992rebellion:Stillburningmattersofraceandjustice”(BB;due2/13)

Week6

OJSimpson:Race,Celebrity,andPublicSpectacle2/13:“TheStoryofOJ:I’mNotBlack,I’mO.J.”2/15:EzraEdelman’sO.J.:MadeinAmerica(documentary);part3

*LeolaJohnson&DavidRoediger,“’Hertz,Don’tIt?’BecomingColorlessandStayingBlackintheCrossoverofO.J.Simpson”(BB;due2/15)JeffreyToobin,“AnIncendiaryDefense”(BB;due2/20)

Week7

2/20:Toobin;theracecard,andtheLAPD2/22:EzraEdelman’sO.J.:MadeinAmerica(documentary);part5

WorkonCriticalThinkingEssayTa-NehisiCoates,“WhatO.J.SimpsonMeanstoMe?”(BB;due2/27)

CriticalThinkingEssay(due2/22)

Week8

2/27:CoatesonO.J.3/01:WhytheO.J.SimpsontrialstillresonateswithustodayandwhatitrevealsaboutAmericaanditsjusticesystem.

CarlE.Enomoto,“PublicSympathyforO.J.Simpson:TheRolesofRace,Age,Gender,Income,andEducation”(BB;due3/01)JoeDomanick,Op-Ed:“WhyL.A.’scrimeriseisnosurprise”(BB;due3/06)

Week9

Ghettoside3/06:Introduction3/08:discussp.3-43

Ghettosidep.3-43(due3/08)Ghettosidep.44-96(due3/27)

Week10

SpringBreak

WorkonFilmAnalysisEssay

SyllabusforCOURSEID,Page7of8

Week11

3/27:discussp.44-963/29:discussp.97-161

Ghettosidep.97-161(due3/29)Ghettosidep.162-188(due4/03)

FilmAnalysisEssay(due3/27)

Week12

4/03:discussp.162-1884/05:discussp.189-272

Ghettosidep.189-272(due4/05)Ghettosidep.273-319(due4/10)

SeminarPaperAbstract(due4/05)

Week13

NoMatterHowLoudIShout4/10:discussp.273-3194/12:Alexander;mandatorysentencinginCalifornia&the3strikeslaw

MichelleAlexander,TheNewJimCrow(ch.2“TheLockdown”;(due4/12)DianeLefer,“DisruptingtheSchool-to-PrisonPipeline”;EdwardHumes,NoMatterHowLoudIShout(“Homegirl”p.22-35;“RaisedbytheState”p.84-96)(BB;due4/17)

Week14

4/17:juvenilejustice4/19:Humes&Foucault

Humes,NoMatterHowLoudIShout(“JudgeDorn”p.50-63);Foucault,Discipline&Punish(“Generalizedpunishment”p.73-103)(due4/19)Humes,NoMatterHowLoudIShout(“JudgeDorn’sSolution”p.200-228);Foucault,Discipline&Punish(“Thecarceral”p.293-308)(due4/24)

Week15

Conclusion4/24:Humes&Foucault4/26:Rappaport;MaxineWatersonmandatoryminimumcriminalsentencing

AaronJ.Rappaport,“RealigningCaliforniaCorrections”(BB;due4/26)

FINAL

NoFinalExam SeminarPaper(due5/03)

SyllabusforCOURSEID,Page8of8

StatementonAcademicConductandSupportSystems

AcademicConduct:Plagiarism–presentingsomeoneelse’sideasasyourown,eitherverbatimorrecastinyourownwords–isaseriousacademicoffensewithseriousconsequences.PleasefamiliarizeyourselfwiththediscussionofplagiarisminSCampusinPartB,Section11,“BehaviorViolatingUniversityStandards”policy.usc.edu/scampus-part-b.Otherformsofacademicdishonestyareequallyunacceptable.SeeadditionalinformationinSCampusanduniversitypoliciesonscientificmisconduct,http://policy.usc.edu/scientific-misconduct.SupportSystems:StudentCounselingServices(SCS)–(213)740-7711–24/7oncallFreeandconfidentialmentalhealthtreatmentforstudents,includingshort-termpsychotherapy,groupcounseling,stressfitnessworkshops,andcrisisintervention.engemannshc.usc.edu/counselingNationalSuicidePreventionLifeline–1(800)273-8255Providesfreeandconfidentialemotionalsupporttopeopleinsuicidalcrisisoremotionaldistress24hoursaday,7daysaweek.www.suicidepreventionlifeline.orgRelationshipandSexualViolencePreventionServices(RSVP)–(213)740-4900–24/7oncallFreeandconfidentialtherapyservices,workshops,andtrainingforsituationsrelatedtogender-basedharm.engemannshc.usc.edu/rsvpSexualAssaultResourceCenterFormoreinformationabouthowtogethelporhelpasurvivor,rights,reportingoptions,andadditionalresources,visitthewebsite:sarc.usc.eduOfficeofEquityandDiversity(OED)/TitleIXCompliance–(213)740-5086Workswithfaculty,staff,visitors,applicants,andstudentsaroundissuesofprotectedclass.equity.usc.eduBiasAssessmentResponseandSupportIncidentsofbias,hatecrimesandmicroaggressionsneedtobereportedallowingforappropriateinvestigationandresponse.studentaffairs.usc.edu/bias-assessment-response-supportTheOfficeofDisabilityServicesandProgramsProvidescertificationforstudentswithdisabilitiesandhelpsarrangerelevantaccommodations.dsp.usc.eduStudentSupportandAdvocacy–(213)821-4710AssistsstudentsandfamiliesinresolvingcomplexissuesadverselyaffectingtheirsuccessasastudentEX:personal,financial,andacademic.studentaffairs.usc.edu/ssaDiversityatUSCInformationonevents,programsandtraining,theDiversityTaskForce(includingrepresentativesforeachschool),chronology,participation,andvariousresourcesforstudents.diversity.usc.eduUSCEmergencyInformationProvidessafetyandotherupdates,includingwaysinwhichinstructionwillbecontinuedifanofficiallydeclaredemergencymakestraveltocampusinfeasible.emergency.usc.eduUSCDepartmentofPublicSafety–UPC:(213)740-4321–HSC:(323)442-1000–24-houremergencyortoreportacrime.ProvidesoverallsafetytoUSCcommunity.dps.usc.edu