This course will provide students with an introduction to the social scientific study of crime. Students will explore quantitative & qualitative evidence concerning various types of crime (e.g murder, robbery, rape, domestic violence, child abuse, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, organized crime, international crime, and white collar crime). Also, they will explore crime statistics concerning the demographic dimensions of crime (i.e. age, race, sex and class). Students will be provided with a brief introduction to biological, psychological, and sociological explanations of crime and criminals. Finally, students will learn to assess conservative, liberal and radical explanations of historical crime trends, and to examine the impact of the criminal justice system (i.e. police, courts, corrections) on rates of crime. Normally offered every semester. Prerequisite: ECII placement or equivalent