The course on “Comparative Criminal Justice” provides University of Tampere students with the opportunity to study comparative crime and punishment issues with students from Marquette University Milwaukee USA and Finlandia University Michigan USA, The students will be instructed as a collective with instructional responsibilities being shared by Dr. Richard Jones of Marquette University Milwaukee USA, Dr. Richard Gee of Finlandia University Michigan USA and I sharing instructional responsibilities.

This course will look at the criminal justice system within a global context.  The course will look at theories of criminality, deviance and punishment within socio-political context of the different countries studied as well as the comparison between the countries.  Within this framework, students will examine theories of crime including but not limited to: the learning theory, corporate crime, and restorative justice.

The course is directed primarily at upper division undergraduate students, but would also be beneficial to master’s level students. It is appropriate for students majoring in sociology, criminology, social welfare and justice, and political science, or any students with a career interest in criminal justice.

The course will utilize a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, discussions, videos, guest speakers and tours of prisons in Finland and St Petersburg Russia.  These countries were chosen because of the contrasting style of responding to crime between/ among the Russia (very harsh punishment, Finland [Gentle Justice], (a penal system of two countries with two different extremes). We will also analyze the USA penal system, another Western country with a very harsh punishment policy. 

Students will be evaluated based on daily journals and reflections, as well as a final paper that should be completed after return from Russia.

METHODOLOGY

The course is designed as both lecture and discussion.  Evaluation will be based on:

A)  A class journal (notes from lecture/discussion).

B)  A reaction paper that builds off course materials or reflects upon those materials.  

Classroom activities will be designed to encourage students to play an active role in the construction of their own knowledge and in the design of their own learning strategies.

We will combine short lectures with other active teaching methodologies, such as group discussions, cooperative group solving problems, analysis of video segments depicting scenes relevant to criminology topics and debates. Class participation is a fundamental aspect of this course. Students will be encouraged to actively take part in all group activities and to give short oral group presentations throughout the course.

This joint course with the USA visiting group focuses on:

1. Analyzing how crime and deviance are shaped by individual and social factors
2. Examining and analyzing how culture and general ideology influence criminal justice policy and practice.
3. What myths are created regarding crime and criminals, and the role of government and media in constructing crime myths.
4. Examining and analyzing how society perpetuates deviant and criminal behavior.
5. Understanding the criminal justice policy and practice in Finland, Russia and USA.
6. Exploring the response to crime, with specific focus on corrections and policing in Russia, Finland, and the United States.  

 The twelve days lectures/seminarswill provide a practical component, with guest speakers (including criminal justice practitioners, former inmates, and other experts), videos, Training Institute for Prison and Probation Services, and tours of prisons in Finland and St. Petersburg Russia.

Excursions: trips to Finnish Prisons and Four days trip to St. Petersburg Russia.

The four-day visa free excursion to St. Petersburg, Russia old and new Prisons is on the 23/5/2014 till Sunday, 25/5/2014.

Programme in St. Petersburg:

Thursday, 22/5/2014 Leave for St. Petersburg, but 2 hours lecture at Training Institute
for Prison and Probation Services in Helsinki, 16.00  to Helsinki harbour.

Friday, 23/5/2014    - Guided visit of the prison and police museums in St. Petersburg
                              - Guided tour of the State Hermitage museum for students 
                              - Timetravels tour conductor services during the trip
                              - 2 hours lecture on crime and policing crime in Russia.

Saturday, 24/5/2014   student free day in St. Petersburg, optional cultural activities/tour.

Sunday, 25/5/2014      Boat leaves back to Finland at 19.00.

Monday 26/5/2014      Back in Finland at 8.00 in the morning.

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Travelling Agent responsible for both excursions is www.aikamatkat.fi

Enrolment time has expired.

5-6 ECTS completing whole course or 3 ECTS without excursion

Course requirements:

All Students are required to participate in class discussion and readings.

Presentations: Each student is also expected to do a short presentation, using the required reading materials that will be sent to registered students in advance.

1. Daily Diary of activities including notes from lecture and discussion.
2. Final paper integrating the overall course experience. 

Compensations:
Course is available for all the students at the University of Tampere. It will be offered as part ofStudies on Society and Culture which is a multi-disciplinary study module within the School of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Compensations in certain studies:
North American Studies: NAM-III Law and Politics.
Degree Programme in Social Sciences: Optional studies or compensations on certain courses agreed with teacher responsible.
Degree Programme in Social Work: Optional studies.