Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Today's schedule is B-A-Lunch-D-C

B- Social Studies 10 - Today with Mr. Lux you'll start with current events and then after you'll head to the library. In the library today you will be working through an activity on the Cariboo Gold Rush. You'll receive a worksheet that has some questions related to the following website: BC Archives The Cariboo Gold Rush

A - Social Studies 11 - Today with Mr. Lux you'll start with current events and then there will be a review of the handout activity on specific battles and events that took place during the Second World War. This activity is due today in class and serves as a crucial study guide for your unit final and the provincial exam. If you do not hand in the assignment today you have until Friday to submit the work for marks yet there will be consequences for late submissions.

C - Criminology 12 - Today we will finish the Power Point presentation on the sections of Chapter 2 dealing with Explaining Crime Trends p 37-8 and Crime Patterns p. 42-9. After the presentation you'll have the rest of the block to begin work on your next assignment:

You are a criminologist who works at Simon Fraser University and have become alarmed at the media's (in your view) alarmist and irresponsible misrepresentation of violent crime in the city. The over simplification of news reports and the finger pointing have got you steamed (it's the judges, no it's the R.C.M.P., no it's the Solicitor General and the provincial government, no it's the justice department and the federal government, no it's the criminals, no it's the media, no it's.....fill in name here). So you're fed up and it's about time someone with brains educated the media about the nature and extent of crime in Canada and in Vancouver.

Write a thoughtful and polite letter to the editor of the Vancouver Sun outlining the current trends in crime (age, economy, social problems, firearms availability, gangs, drug use and justice policy - p.37-8 in Criminology: The Core) and crime patterns (ecology, social class, age, gender, and race p.42-9 in Criminology: The Core). You'll probably want to conclude your letter with a suggestion or two on how to deal with the "chronic offender" who is typical of those involved with the spate of recent gang shootings. You may want to throw in a reason or two why you think that violence is over reported in the media and maybe consider explaining why that hurts rather than helps deal with crime.

No comments: