Author Video

Watch the following videos in their entirety and answer the critical thinking questions below.

Callie Rennison: Contemplating Careers

Mary Dodge: White-Collar Crime

Q1: Dr. Dodge discusses the growth in awareness of white-collar crime and how the criminal justice system has responded to it. Discuss the harms of white-collar crimes in comparison to crimes of physical violence. In what ways could the consequences of white-collar crimes be more damaging than, or as damaging as, crimes of physical violence?

Q2: Because white-collar crime often has more victims, does that make it worse than other crimes? If so, should punishments be more severe?

Q3: Dr. Dodge mentions justice for victims; what is justice and what should it look like in practice?

Callie Rennison: Crime and the Media

Q1: Why is it problematic that the majority of people only see the worst crimes via media sources?

Q2: It is easy to draw causal relationships between two factors like in Dr. Rennison’s example of violence in media and those who commit violent crimes. What other factors could be involved? What are some of the possible consequences to the criminal justice system and society at large of quickly trusting and responding to a statement such as ‘those who watch violent shows or play violent video games will commit violent acts?’

Callie Rennison: Important Skills in Criminal Justice

Q1: What surprised or didn’t surprise you about Dr. Rennison’s answer and why?

Q2: In response to Dr. Rennison’s discussion of empathy, why do you think many people choose to simply label individuals as “good” or “bad”?

Q3: What are other skills that you believe are critical to the criminal justice field?