278SYL2000

_{POLS/PSYCH/SOC 278:}

PRISONS AND PRISONERS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY SPRING, 2010

Note: This course is limited to Seniors or Juniors with special permission. The four components to this course are outlined below.

_{Trips to Two Prisons: Each student will
take two Saturday (all day) trips to New York State Correctional
Facilities.
We will visit two prisons on each trip, one in the afternoon and one in
the evening. One will be Eastern (a men's maximum security
facility in Nappanoch) and another will be Woodburne (a men's medium facility).
There is also a remote chance that we will visit another correctional facility. The trips
are scheduled for
March 13 and March 27. We will have an orientation meeting at least one
week before the
first trip.
Note: Senior students must
pick up and fill out forms available in 410 Fitzelle in order to get
D.O.C permission to visit the prisons. (The names of students must be submitted
a week before the first visit). Our group must depart from the front of the
Netzer Administration
Building at 9:00 SHARP on both Saturdays and will return approximately
11 p.m. Dress is casual. Bring money for food. You must also bring a photo
identification card or drivers license or some other formal ID.}
_{Required Readings: They should be completed
before
the first trip date specified. The readings include (1)
David Cole, "Can Our Shameful
Prisons Be Reformed?New York Review of Books", 11-19-09

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/23382} _{and (2) another 2009 essay "America's
Prisons: Is There Hope?"} http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22741_{The remaining items below are on
closed reserve at Milne
Library.}

(3) Ted Conover, NEWJACK: Guarding Sing Sing (New York: Random House, 2000),
    pp 207-209; 222-293. (you may wish to purchase this book on your own)
(4) Don Sabo, Terry Kupers and Willie London, Prison Masculinities
    (The following readings)
      a. Sabo, "Gender and the Politics of Punishment" pp. 3-17.
      b. Don Sabo, "Doing Time. . ." 61-65.
      c. Nancy Levit, "Male Prisoners. . . " 93-99.

(5) William F. Schultz, "Women in Prison," New York Review of Books
May 31, 2002, p 32ff. (electronic reserve)
(6) Phillip Zimbardo’s "Pathology of Imprisonment" reprint or online, below ***

_{3. Group Discussion - Attendance Required: A meeting to discuss
some


impressions, hypotheses, and questions about prisons and the criminal


justice system. It is scheduled for Sunday night (after the second trip)


(March 28) at 7pm in the Hunt Student Union.}

_{4. Written Evaluation:
The final requirement is a three to five page paper that organizes and
summarizes your impressions of and questions about the prison system based upon the two trips,
the assigned readings, and subsequent discussions.
Your essay should be a personal critique/think piece which clearly expresses
your thinking about crime and punishment in this society. It must be submitted
no later than two weeks after the final group discussion.}

_{Note: The New York State Department of Corrections (DOC) defines student
visitors as "volunteers". We will meet with groups of prisoners
involved in a program called Exodus that was initiated by Rev Ed Muller. He will
coordinate discussions in both facilities. If you have any questions call or
email asap.}Contact information:
Office: 410 Fitzelle; regular hours are T,Th 11:20-12 and W 1:30-3. My office phone # is 3923;
my e-mail address is conwaypg@oneonta.edu

_{INFO ONLINE:} http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2005/02/eastern_ny_corr.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_Correctional_Facility and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodbourne_Correctional_Facility
*** Zimbardo's presentation: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/philip_zimbardo_on_the_psychology_of_evil.html

The previous course requirements are on this outline: http://employees.oneonta.edu/conwaypg/278SYL2000.htm.htm