Thursday, February 2. 2017

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

D Block Criminology 12 - Today we'll finish our brief history of criminology (from B.C.E up to and including the current theories). For Monday, you need to create your own theory of why crime happens. To end the class we'll watch a really cool video on the roots of violence from NOVA called Inside the Mind of a Rampage Killer...

What makes a person walk into a theater or a church or a classroom full of students and open fire? What combination of circumstances compels a human being to commit the most inhuman of crimes? Can science in any way help us understand these horrific events and provide any clues as to how to prevent them in the future? As the nation tries to understand the tragic events at Newtown, NOVA correspondent Miles O’Brien separates fact from fiction, investigating new theories that the most destructive rampage killers are driven most of all, not by the urge to kill, but the wish to die. Could suicide–and the desire to go out in a media-fueled blaze of glory–be the main motivation? How much can science tell us about the violent brain?  Most importantly, can we recognize dangerous minds in time—and stop the next Newtown?

C Block Social Studies 11 - Today we'll begin our look at the government structure we have here in Canada. We'll go over some photocopied notes I'll give you on Democracy (direct and representative) and see what a Constitutional Monarchy is (these are the building blocks of understanding our government structure). Lastly we'll begin looking at the "Division of Powers" and then we'll finish our look at Federalism. We'll examine a diagram about the structure of our government and then I'll have you work on one question (see below). For more information on the Federal system of governance (Federal, Provincial, and Municipal division of powers check out the following websites:

Governor General of Canada
The Federal Government 
The Constitution Act 1982 

Explain the Federal government system in Canada to your friendly American neighbor [sic]….that’s right we have a queen….our Head of State (in the USA the Head of State is the President). Whom do we vote for? What do they control? What power does the PM and Gov Gen have?

B Block Law 12 - Today you can start with yesterday's questions 2, 3,and 5 from page 21 of the All About Law text. Next, we'll work on understanding case citations (R. v. Kerr, 2004, and Grant v. Dempsey, 2001). We'll discuss the "rule of law" and quickly review the Social Studies 11 topics of our constitution and how laws are made. You can then work on the assignment from Tuesday this week:

Look up the penalties for a law (in the Canadian Criminal Code or the Controlled Drug and Substances Act) that you disagree with and explain why we should have stronger or lighter penalties for this law. Consider "Mischief"

C.C. 430. (1) Every one commits mischief who wilfully
(a) destroys or damages property;
(b) renders property dangerous, useless, inoperative or ineffective;
(c) obstructs, interrupts or interferes with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property; or
(d) obstructs, interrupts or interferes with any person in the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property.
Punishment
(2) Every one who commits mischief that causes actual danger to life is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.

So if you are protesting the removal of old growth trees in a location and hammer spikes into trees then you are endangering the life of fallers (who would use chainsaws and chainsaws don't mix well with metal spikes)...that means you're eligible for life in prison much the same as if you tampered with someone's break lines in their car. Is that sentence too harsh or too light? Why? that's an example of what I'd like you to consider. You may use the pocket criminal codes in class or may use the computer/your digital devices to check the statutes on line.

For more on how to read case studies check out:
Reading a Legal Citation Queens University
Legal Citation Guide UBC
Scroll down to Case Citation on this PowerPoint from New Learner
Duhaime.org Legal Citations Guide

A Block Introduction to Law 9/10 - Remember, you need to create your own theory of why crime happens. Use the handout I gave you on crime theories and for more help check out the Crime Theory Web Site found on this link.

After some time, we'll share your own theories of why crime happens (yes I'd like to have volunteers rather than voluntolds). We'll see if there are any similarities amongst the different theories we made and try to understand just what that may mean.

Lastly, I'll ask you to create an interview where you are a famous Canadian criminologist being interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos on his CBC television show. What you'll need to do is come up with some crazy, creepy or absurdly normal crime that gained huge notoriety in Canada (murder, treason, assault, embezzlement, kidnapping, criminal harassment - AKA stalking, drug trafficking, gang related activities or some minor crime perpetrated by a major Canadian celebrity - oh just imagine Justin Bieber being charged with what). After you create a crime story idea, you'll need to have five questions that George will ask you (no "what's your name" doesn't count as one). Try to come up with questions that you can reasonably answer within three to four sentences..."So what do you think motivated (person X) to commit (action Y)"?

What should this look like? A brief paragraph that introduces the crime and gives a brief biography of you is the start. Next write out the five questions George will ask you about the crime, the perpetrator, the kind of person who commits that crime, the motives of that person, an explanation of your personal crime theory and then try to answer them using your theory.