SOCI 212 – Social Problems Choose ONE of the following questions: 1)    Citing our textbook material, to what extent is race and ethnicity a socially constructed category, versus something fundamentally real in society? 2)    Citing our textbook material, should we define minorities in terms of gender as well as race and ethnicity? Defend your response. Essay Overview One of the most crucial components to this course concerns addressing social problems in society from a sociological viewpoint as opposed to a strictly policy-oriented, psychological, or criminal justice viewpoint. Although many different viewpoints in social science are valid and have a lot of importance, it is equally important for us to understand how sociology looks at the nature of social problems in society today. This paper will enable us to explore why certain social problems seem to be regarded as more significant than others. Our job will be in defining the sociological viewpoint, and choosing one social problem that we think is of high importance. We will build upon the topic we choose in this paper for our second and third writing assignments. Instructions Construct a 2- 4 page paper that fully explores each of the following areas: 1) Citing our textbook material, explain how the sociological approach toward social problems differs from other approaches. Why are certain problems considered significant and others are not? 2) Next, choose one social problem that exists in society that you think is particularly serious, and explain it in sociological terms. This social problem should be measurable in some statistical way. (Is it increasing, and if so, how? Among which groups of people, and for how long, etc.?) 3) What might be one important way in which the social problem is currently being addressed in society?  4) Please define and identify at least four concepts from our text relevant to your chosen social problem. 5) Analyze the way in which these concepts help us better understand the nature of the social problem you are discussing. Don’t forget to include proper APA-style citation and reference. (Assignment One is worth 10% of the total grade.) Due on by midnight the Sunday of Week 2 – The paper should be typed, double-spaced, 1” margins, arial or times new roman 11 pt font, and saved as .doc, .rtf or .pdf in the format: lastname_SOCI212_HW1.doc Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes: Homework One will evaluate your ability to do the following: Course Objectives: Course Objective One Identify specific social problems and their cause-effect patterns. Course Objective Two Identify current research methods that are utilized for the investigation of social problems. Course Objective Three Compare and contrast current and suggested policies, programs, and/or treatments in terms of their effectiveness for alleviating the negative consequences of social problems. Course Objective Four Apply class concepts to support opinions about social problems. Co.

1. SOCI 212 – Social Problems
Choose ONE of the following questions:
1) Citing our textbook material, to what extent is race and
ethnicity a socially constructed category, versus something
fundamentally real in society?
2) Citing our textbook material, should we define minorities
in terms of gender as well as race and ethnicity? Defend your
response.
Essay Overview
One of the most crucial components to this course concerns
addressing social problems in society from a sociological
viewpoint as opposed to a strictly policy-oriented,
psychological, or criminal justice viewpoint. Although many
different viewpoints in social science are valid and have a lot of
importance, it is equally important for us to understand how
sociology looks at the nature of social problems in society
today. This paper will enable us to explore why certain social
problems seem to be regarded as more significant than others.
Our job will be in defining the sociological viewpoint, and
choosing one social problem that we think is of high
importance. We will build upon the topic we choose in this
paper for our second and third writing assignments.
Instructions
Construct a 2- 4 page paper that fully explores each of the
following areas:
1) Citing our textbook material, explain how the sociological

2. approach toward social problems differs from other approaches.
Why are certain problems considered significant and others are
not?
2) Next, choose one social problem that exists in society that
you think is particularly serious, and explain it in sociological
terms. This social problem should be measurable in some
statistical way. (Is it increasing, and if so, how? Among which
groups of people, and for how long, etc.?)
3) What might be one important way in which the social
problem is currently being addressed in society?
4) Please define and identify at least four concepts from our text
relevant to your chosen social problem.
5) Analyze the way in which these concepts help us better
understand the nature of the social problem you are discussing.
Don’t forget to include proper APA-style citation and reference.
(Assignment One is worth 10% of the total grade.)
Due on by midnight the Sunday of Week 2 –
The paper should be typed, double-spaced, 1” margins, arial or
times new roman 11 pt font, and saved as .doc, .rtf or .pdf in the
format: lastname_SOCI212_HW1.doc
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes:
Homework One will evaluate your ability to do the following:
Course Objectives:
Course Objective One
Identify specific social problems and their cause-effect patterns.
Course Objective Two
Identify current research methods that are utilized for the
investigation of social problems.
Course Objective Three
Compare and contrast current and suggested policies, programs,

3. and/or treatments in terms of their effectiveness for alleviating
the negative consequences of social problems.
Course Objective Four
Apply class concepts to support opinions about social problems.
Course Objective Six
Explain the role of culture in identifying social issues as
problems.
Course Objective Seven
Apply sociological theories to explain the occurrence and scope
of these problems.
Learning Outcomes:
Grading Rubric:
CATEGORY
Outstanding
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Unacceptable
Description of sociological definition of social problems
Provided detailed description of the sociological definition of
social problems, citing textbook material and relevant concepts
(5 points)
Needed some elaboration on the sociological definition of social
problems, and more textbooks citation (4 pts)
Needs significantly more detail about how sociology treats
social problems differently than other disciplines (3pts)
Description of the sociological perspective toward social
problems lacks detail overall. (2pts)
No description of the sociological perspective toward social
problems included (0-1.5 pts)
Sociological Concepts Identified
Clearly identified 4 relevant sociological concepts from the
readings. (5 pts)

4. Clearly identified 3 relevant sociological concepts from the
readings, one not clearly identified. (4 pts)
Clearly identified 2 relevant sociological concepts from the
readings. (3pts)
Clearly identified 1 relevant sociological concepts from the
readings. (2 pts)
Did not clearly identify any sociological concepts (0-1.5 pts)
Sociological Concepts Defined
Clearly defined 4 relevant sociological concepts using the text
and/or other source(s). (5 pts)
Clearly defined 3 relevant sociological concepts using the text
and/or other source(s); 1 not clearly defined. (4 pts)
Clearly defined 2 relevant sociological concepts using the text
and/or other source(s). (3 pts)
Clearly defined 1 relevant sociological concepts using the text
and/or other source(s). (2 pts)
Did not include text definitions of sociological concepts (0-1.5
pts)
Analysis
Clearly applied 4 relevant sociological concepts to analysis of
the chosen social problem. (5 pts)
Clearly applied 3 relevant sociological concepts to the chosen
social problem, one not clearly applied to analysis. (4 pts)
Clearly applied 2 relevant sociological concept to analysis of
the chosen social problem. (3 pts)
Clearly applied 1 relevant sociological concepts to the chosen
social problem. (3 pts)
Did not apply sociological concepts to chosen social problem.
(0-1.5 pts)
APA Formatted Citations
Included APA formatted in-text citations and full references for
ALL paraphrased and quoted work from other sources. (3 pts)
Minor errors in APA formatting of citations. (2.4 pts)
Multiple errors in APA formatting of citations. (2.1 pt)
Missing some citations, and errors in APA formatting. (1.8 pts)
No citations included. (0-1 pts)

5. Grammar & Spelling
Author makes no errors in grammar or spelling that distract the
reader from the content. (2 pts)
Author makes a couple errors in grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the content. (1.6 pts)
Author makes a few errors in grammar or spelling that distract
the reader from the content. (1.4 pt)
Author makes multiple errors in grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the content. (1.2 pts)
Authors makes so many errors in grammar and spelling that the
intent of the paper cannot be understood. (0-1 pts)
SOC 212 Assignment 1 Sociological View Toward Social
Problems
Chapter 15
Death Penalty Trials & Appeals
Terms – 2001 APA Resolution, bi-furcated trial, change of
venue, competency for execution evaluation, death qualification
procedure, mitigating and aggravating factors, theory of the
case,…
* Provisions at trial and appellate review. In recent years the
Supreme Court and Congress have been concerned the extensive
appeal process has resulted in a length y process with appeals
lasting 10 -20 years in many cases.
1
Death Penalty, context
According to Amnesty International, 90 countries have
abolished the death penalty and 30 others have not used it in 10

6. years. 66 countries retain the death penalty. In 2004, China
performed more than 3,400 executions amounting to more than
90% of the executions worldwide.
In 1972 in Furman v. Georgia, the US Supreme Court ruled that
the death penalty was “cruel and unusual punishment” due to its
arbitrary and discriminatory application. In 1976 in Gregg v.
Georgia the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in
response to state legislation to provide additional due process,
appellate review, and related protections to defendants*.
Death Penalty jurisdictions
38 states in the US have the death penalty* and there are about
3,300 people on death row.
There is also the death penalty for certain federal crimes.
The US military also has a death penalty statute.
Many psychologists oppose the death penalty because of the
value they place on individual life and justice, however other
psychologists support the death penalty citing the same values.
The APA passed unanimous resolution in 2001 (see Box 15.2)
calling for the suspension of executions…**.
*New York & New Jersey do not
**until problems in implementation were addressed. There
were basically 9 clauses to the resolutions:
1) Citing data indicating 2/3’s of DP sentences were overturned
on procedural grounds incompetent counsel, inadequate
investigation, withheld exculpatory evidence 2) PC exonerations
3) death qualification bias 4) bias in seeking death penalty 5)
race of victim bias, particularly with ethnic minority defendants
6) mitigation confusion 7) mental impairment and due process
concerns 8) juvenile vulnerability* 9) neither general or
specific deterrence, and evidence of instigation – thus a
moratorium by all jurisdictions until these areas are addressed

7. is warranted.
See Box 15.2 for research cited, p. 349 in Fulero et al (2009).
3
Roles of forensic psychologists*
CST examinations, change of venue research requests, general
trial consultation (developing a theory of the case), in bi-
furcated trials examining mitigation** for the sentencing phase
(only 20% of those found guilty in capital cases are given the
death penalty***), evaluating competency for execution****…
Some psychologists who oppose the dp pursue it through
general advocacy while others become involved in case
consultation.
** Research indicates that jurors often do not understand the
mitigation and aggravation process. Comprehensive evaluation
of mitigation described in Eisenberg (2004).
***Remember from Chap 1 discussion of Baldus’ research in
McCleskey v. Kemp, 1987. In Georgia 2,484 homicides that led
to a conviction of murder or voluntary manslaughter. 65%
(1,620) included facts that made the def eligible for death
penalty. Of these 8.7% (128) were actually sentenced to death.
****Defendant must understand their offense as it relates to the
(ultimate) punishment - see Ricky Ray Rector & Scott Panetti
cases in the introduction… Psychologists conduct these
examinations for the defense and the prosecution…
4
Convicting the innocent
Huff, Rattner, & Sagarin, 1996 estimated that wrongful
convictions occurred in less than 1% (about 0.5%) of US
criminal cases. That means that 99.5% of the time the
convictions are accurate. However the 0.5% error rate would
mean that 7,500 – 10,000 people experience a wrongful
conviction*.

8. Recently in Illinois 13 of 265 people on death row were
released because of evidence of their innocence.
* Out of the 1.5 – 2 million convicted.
Convicting the innocent, II
Researchers in the US and Britain* have documented hundreds
of cases of wrongful convictions many in capital cases. There
are several cases where people were convicted of murder and
the deceased party turned out not to be dead**.
A number of people have been executed who were innocent as
noted in Fulero et al and see the Randall Dale Adams case…***
* Rattner & colleagues, Radelet & Bedau, Brandon & Davies, …
**Sources of error: eye-witness error, false confessions,
incentivized witnesses, prosecutorial misconduct, perjury,
discounting of alibis, hue & cry factors, expert errors and junk
science, inadequate/incompetent defense…
*** In Fulero et al see R. Mead Shumway, Maurice Mays, and
Jesse DeWayne Jacobs; and also Grann ‘Trial by Fire’
6
Additional issues
In recent years the US Congress and Supreme Court have
become concerned about the lengthy appeals process in capital
cases. It can last 10, 15, or 20 years. Most people on death row
die of natural causes.
In 1989 in Murray v. Giarratano the US Supreme Court
determined there was a limited right to counsel for appeals…
Findings from Texas indicate state experts over estimated the
danger (in prisons) presented by inmates sentenced to death
Additional issues, II

9. In Atkins v. Virginia, 2002 the US Supreme Court prohibited
the execution of the mentally retarded, ruling it violated the 8th
Amendment as “cruel and unusual” punishment.
In 2006 in Roper v. Simmons, the US Supreme Court prohibited
execution for crimes committed by juveniles*
2006 Joint Resolution** on Mental Illness and the Death
Penalty urging states not to execute for crimes committed by the
MI
Costs – Costanza (1997) executions cost the states
approximately 2 million dollars more than life imprisonment
Race and other bias – (McClesky v. Kemp, 1987) racial bias
remains an issue and ‘arbitrary’ geographic factors
*This ruling was consistent with the UN Convention on the
Rights of Children, 1990 which was never ratified by the US or
Somalia… Other than the US only 7 nations has conducted
executions for offenses by minors (Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia,
Yemen, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, & People’s
Republic of China.
** ABA, APA, APA (Psychiatric), NAMI, … Professor Matthew
B. Johnson served on this committee.
8
Econ 101 forum
How would you define "division of labor," and why is this
important in our economic system? In your answers, provide
examples from your personal experience.
Assignment Instructions
For Term Paper #1 you are required to pick a product or service
you use in your everyday life and describe the market for this
product. Please make sure to address the following questions:
1. What factors influence the demand for this product? What
factors influence the supply of this product?

10. 2. How have these changes in supply and demand affected the
equilibrium price of this product?
3. Do you anticipate any changes to the demand and/or supply
of this product in the near future? If so, what is driving these
changes?
Complete this essay in a Microsoft Word document in APA
format. Your work will automatically be submitted to Turnitin
for plagiarism review. Please note that a minimum of 700 words
for your essay is required.