The mid-term exam is scheduled for Wednesday, October 18 in Baker Hall 235A from 9:30 to 10:20 AM. It will be in essay format and closed-book. You will be given four questions and asked to answer your choice of two. These questions will primarily test your understanding of course material; in contrast to paper assignments, they will emphasize explanation more than interpretation. All of them will be based on the readings, lectures, and discussions in class so far; this means the exam will focus on Parts I and II of the course, on the origins of American justice and the history of crime in America.

The following statements are not the questions for the exam; however, they should give you a sense of what I expect you to know & what you should study.

1)    You should be able to talk about what sorts of sources are used to study crime both in the present and in the past.

2)    You should be able to describe fluctuations in the rate of murder in America over time, explaining which periods and geographical areas saw more murder than others and offering explanations of why murder rates changed.

3)    Relatedly, be prepared to discuss trends in crime, particularly murder, in last 40 years -- has the nature of homicide evolved? Did homicide increase? Who has been committing crimes? Whatís new? How do recent trends compare with earlier ones?

4)    One theme of the class so far has been how external social pressures created opportunities for crime or deterred it. You should be prepared to discuss how economic conditions affected crime that weíve examined such as prostitution and homicide. You should also think about the impact of social reform organizations on criminal behavior.

5)    One factor that we have frequently encountered in connection with crime has been the "sporting male subculture" (a.k.a., the "bachelor subculture"). You might expect to see a question asking you to compare the bachelor subculture in two different historical or geographical contexts and discuss its relationship with crime.

6)    You should also be prepared to discuss competing historical explanations for fluctuations in crime such as prostitution or homicide.

7)    In all cases, the American experience varied by race, class, gender, and geographical location. You may not get a question that addresses these topics directly, but any essay would certainly be stronger if it demonstrated an awareness of how race, class, gender, and geographical location affected the issues you are discussing.