Blumstein, Alfred & Joel Wallman (eds) (2001) The Crime Drop in America (Cambridge Univ. Press)
Chambliss, William, J. (1999) Power, Politics and Crime (Westview)
Currie, Elliott (1998) Crime and Punishment in America (Henry Holt)
Goode, Erich (1999, 5th ed) Drugs in American Society (McGraw Hill)
James, Joy (ed) (2000) States of Confinement: policing, detention, and prisons (Palgrave)
Parenti, Christian (1999) Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis (Verso)

A portfolio of 2500 words will consist of answers to seminar questions which we will discuss in class. Precise details will be provided in your handbook but the portfolio will typically contain 5 answers, each approximately 500 words in length, with references and bibliographies. The bibliography will not count in the word count.

You will examine, and look at explanations for, the major tendencies in crime rates in the USA and Latin America. You will then examine policing, incarceration and the relationship between 'race' and crime in the USA. You will examine the resources available for studying crime and selected aspects of crime in Latin America. You will examine the relationship of illegal drugs and crime rates and the changing nature of the illegal drug trade between Latin America and the USA. Throughout the module you will consider 'race'/ethnicity and gender in relation to the issues you cover

20 hours will be taken up with class contact with another 4 hours available for individual tutorials. 126 hours will be guided independent learning. Whole group contacts will consist of formal lectures and part group contact will be seminars linked (a) to the material in the lecture course and (b) to preparation for assessment, guidance to work outside of class and guidance over source materials.

OHP, Internet, e-mail, VCR play back facilities.