This term paper is to study the correlation between crime and religion. Specifically status offenses and religion. A side from providing data, statistics and creating charts there is also applying the disorganization theory and the social bond theory to the crime of status offenses.

Directions: For your final paper, you will select one area of crime or delinquency where you feel religion is a particularly important correlate. -Status offenses (e.g. juvenile drug use, underage drinking, curfew violations, running away). INTRODUCTION - What is your topic? STATUS OFFENSES. Why do you think it is important to study status offenses? Data/Statistics for your topic o Look up crime rates, victimization rates, or arrest data for 4 specific types of crime that are part of the topic you selected. (e.g. juvenile drug use, underage drinking, curfew violations, running away). Create a chart (do not print a chart someone else made) showing this information and provide a written explanation (including specific data). Your chart should show rates for each crime over a minimum of a 20 year time period. It is ok to show 5 year intervals in your chart. o Look up information about 3 different offender characteristics (e.g. differences in commission by race, age, sex, education, income, religion, etc.) for at least one of your four types of crime. Create a chart (or charts) showing this information and provide a written explanation as to what the chart(s) shows (including specific data). Each chart should show two at least two different points in time. -Provide a definition for each of the 4 types of crime you discussed above. Make sure to cite your definitions. -Clearly explain why you think religion/religiosity could be correlated to status offenses (at least a paragraph). -Discuss different ways of defining religion/religiosity. How will you define religion/religiosity in your paper? Provide a justification for your definition. Data/Statistics on religiosity o Discuss changes in religiosity over time. Create a chart showing this information and provide a written summary, including specific data. Your chart should examine at least 2 dimensions of religiosity (e.g. do you believe in heaven, do you believe in god, do you attend worship services). o Discuss 3 different demographic characteristics (e.g. race, age, sex, education, income, geographic location, etc.) that relate to religiosity. Create a chart (or charts) showing this information and provide a written explanation, including specific data. Each chart should cover either at least two different points in time (e.g. Comparing belief in heaven among men and women in 2000 and 2010) OR should cover at least two different dimensions of religiosity (e.g. Comparing belief in heaven AND attendance at weekly services among men and women). PREVIOUS LITERATURE -Discuss the religion and crime correlation, supporting your ideas with at least 5 sources. This should be approximately 3 pages and include some of the important information from literature sections of articles you have read. You should not focus on your theories in this section (since that is covered in your next section). Do not just summarize previous studies. You must analyze these studies and write something that intertwines these sources. You are using these sources as evidence for your own analysis and overview of religion and crime J -Your transition paragraph into the next section should focus on how your project is new/different from existing literature. This is a great time to explain that you will be applying religion to criminological theory in your study. THEORY EXPLANATION AND APPLIATION -Need introductory paragraph -Should contain two subsections….each subsection should be the title of your theory Social Disorganization theory Social Bond Theory · For Theory #1 (social disorganization theory), o Explain the theory. o Discuss and apply 3 empirical articles that show support for the link between this theory and crime. (Make sure at least one article looks at your specific area of crime). o Apply the theory clearly to your type of crime and explain why you think this theory would be particularly good at explaining your type of crime. o Apply the theory clearly to the topic of religion. Discuss how your project will incorporate religion into the existing theory in detail. · For Theory #2 (social bond theory), o Explain the theory. o Discuss and apply 3 empirical articles that show support for the link between this theory and crime. (Make sure at least one article looks at your specific area of crime). o Apply the theory clearly to your type of crime and explain why you think this theory would be particularly good at explaining your type of crime. o Apply the theory clearly to the topic of religion. Discuss how your project will incorporate religion into the existing theory in detail. METHODS -Need introductory paragraph -Should contain 3 subsections: Hypotheses, Study Design, Conceptualization/Operationalization Hypotheses o List of 10 hypothesis for your study. It is ok to use bullet points in this section, but they should be organized and there should be text around the bullet points. o 5 hypotheses should relate to Social Disorganization theory - At least 2 should link religion to the theory - At least 2 should link the theory to your type of crime o 5 hypotheses should relate to Social Bond theory - At least 2 should link religion to the theory - At least 2 should link the theory to your type of crime Study Design o Identify how you would implement your survey. Discuss sample and population for your study. o What are the strengths and weakness of using a survey? o Identify the independent and dependent variables in your study. Conceptualization and Operationalization o You must conceptualize and operationalize religiosity, your two theories, and your topic (type of crime). For operationalization, it is acceptable to state that the survey instruments can be located in Appendixes A-D. However, you should still summarize the type of things included in your survey instruments and how they relate to your conceptualization. - Religiosity -Theory #1 (social disorganization theory) -Theory #2 (social bond theory) -Topic (status offenses) CONCLUSION Short summary of your paper. Should include: o Why status offenses is important to study. o Why religion is important crime correlate. o Why theories should be expanded to include religion. APPENDIX: SURVEYS Appendix A: Demographic Questions (min. 10 questions) o This section should collect background information from all participants. Appendix B: Religiosity (min. 5 questions) o This section should measure religiosity based on how you define it in your methods section. Appendix C: Theory (min. 5 questions PER theory) o Theory #1 (social disorganization theory) o Theory #2 (social bond theory) Appendix D: Involvement in Crime (min. 5 questions) o This section should ask respondents questions about their involvement in the type of crime you selected for this project (status offenses). REFERENCES - Reference page in ASA format (alphabetized) - Citations in ASA format throughout paper