Antisocial and Criminal Behaviour

Code:

MC118

Acronym:

CAC

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Criminology

Instance: 2021/2022 - 1S (since 13-09-2021 to 18-12-2021)

Active?	Yes
Course/CS Responsible:	Criminology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MC	37	Plano Oficial do ano letivo 2017	1	-	3	-	81

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

Within this Curricular Unit students are expected to deepen their knowledge within the domain of etiologic Criminology, by having first hand contact with the main pieces of work produced within the study of the etiological bases of antissocial and criminal behavior. 

For each of the theoretical models and perspectives, its foundational texts, as well as recent empirical evidence within the perspective will be studied, by directlu contacting with original texts.

Students will recognie the interdsiciplinarity of Criminology, by contacting with the most recent integrative models.

Learning outcomes and competences

After a brief critical introduction to key concepts in the domain (Module I), the program aims at making a historic approach to the key assumptions of the most influential criminological theories (modules II-IV), and a deep analysis of the most recent integrative perspectives (VI, VII), while refering to key concepts from Psychology and Biology, that constitute bridging elements between the historic and integrative perspectives. Through the analysis of multiple schools of thought and approaches, and, in a second moment, though a movement of disciplinary widening and transdisciplinary integration, students will be able to grasp the multitude of theoretical approaches that characterize the analysis of antisocial and criminal behavior, and to value the recent efforts to achieve complex, transdisciplinary, developmental and multi-level theories. Lastly, the three final modules aim at transmitting the necessary conceptual tools to allow students to understand the most recent research on the origin and maintenance of antisocial behavior.

The main objective of this CU is for students to acquire deep knowledge on the main theories in Criminology. Thus, it is fundamental that students undertake structured theoretical reviews.

Students should also be able to do advanced critical analyses, at the light of the content transmitted during classes and in key readings and according to their specific backgrounds. Hence, students are required to do a critical recension, which will constitute an element for evaluation and that wil be presented in each class.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

NA

Program

I – Norm, deviation, antisocial behavior and crime

II – Brief reference to the pre-classic theories of crime, and the classical, neo-classical and positivist schools

              Pre-classical conceptions

The Classical School

              Neo-classic perspectives (Rational Choice, Routine Activity Theory)

              Positivistic School (Cartography, Biologic Positivism and its influences)

III – Structuralism/Social Theories (integrated with THemes in Criminology)

              The School of Chicago/Theories of Social Disorganization

              Anomy perspectives

IV – Social Process Theories (integrated with THemes in Criminology)

              Differential Association

              Social Learning

              Social Control

V – Psychological theories

Key psychological concepts for the analysis of criminal decision making

              Personality traits and dimensions

                            Attitude and attitude formation

                            Heuristics and decision making

                            Morality and decision making

VI – Biosocial Criminology

              Evolutionary models and antisocial behavior

Behavioral and molecular genetics of criminal behavior

              The neurobiology of criminal and antisocial behavior

VII – Developmental perspectives

Mandatory literature

Beaver, K., M., & Walsh, A ; Biosocial Theories of Crime, Ashgate, 2010
Blair James; The^psychopath. ISBN: 978-0-631-23336-7
Glicksohn Joseph 340; The^neurobiology of criminal behavior. ISBN: 0-7923-7674-9
Patrick Christopher J. 340; Handbook of psychopathy. ISBN: 1-59385-591-5
Walsh, A; Hemmens, C. ; Introduction to Criminology: A text/reader, SAGE, 2014

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical-practical classes, based on key-readings. Students will complement the knowledge transmitted in class with the analysis of key readings in each module. The teachers will select the most appropriate review papers, which students should read previously to each class. These will constitute the preparation for the critical exposition of theories.

The practical work will be constituted by a critic recension of two representative books/papers of one of the modules.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	40,00
Frequência das aulas	41,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

The final classification will reflect the classification in the delivered report (50%) and classwork presentation (50%).

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Grade = 100% practical report