INSTRUCTION: The links below take you to video clips taken from Reel Justice, which is a unique movie that is centered on a sexual assault that takes place in a college town. It allows students to explore course concepts and terminology in a relevant and meaningful context. Movie segments are augmented by a robust array of review and assessment features. Students can explore a wide variety of criminal justice issues firsthand including criminal responsibility, theories of crime causation, civil vs. criminal law, police roles, functions, and ethics, the courts, and more. Master course concepts more completely than they could by just reading any text. Read the introduction, answer the following questions below and discuss your answers with your classmates and instructor.

Chapter 2 Video 1: Broadband (2648.0K)

Chapter 2 Video 1: Broadband (5643.0K)

2.1. Is the primary role of the police to "defend freedom" as Officer Jordan maintains, or are the police mechanisms for "social control," as the others argue? What reasons can you provide to support your argument?

Chapter 2 Video 2: Dial-Up (327.0K)

Chapter 2 Video 2: Dial-up (685.0K)

2.2. The characters in the scene are debating the various explanations for the causes of criminality: the law student believes that criminals are born that way and that criminality is a function of biology; the officer believes that crime has psychological origins – the police nab people who are "messed up in the head," and these criminals are released only to repeat the same behaviors; while the aspiring journalist advocates a sociological explanation of crime – people are oppressed and powerless, and better schools and better economic opportunities are needed to alleviate the problem. What do you think is the most plausible cause of crime? How might a particular course of study or chosen profession influence one's thoughts on the topic?