Peer Review

Sociologist for Justice

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: May 4, 2019 by Sociology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

Site that started with Ferguson shooting and provides resources for dealing with the sociologial aspects of this event.

Type of Material:

Case Study.

Recommended Uses:

Supplemental material for a course, also useful for criminal justice majors. It claims to have a syllabus, but it only lists articles that they used to inform the arguments on the events in Ferguson.

Technical Requirements:

Tested on Chrome and Firefox.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

This website is interested in exploring injustices and inequities made evident by the events in Ferguson -- understanding the multiplicity of factors that contribute to the criminalization and marginalization of black and brown communities.

Target Student Population:

College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

None.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: The website offers some interesting resources (many available online). It provides a brief introduction to issues of policing.
Concerns:: It doesn't appear that the site is being developed, except at a minimal level -- meeting announcements. The last significant "blog" article was dated 2016. There have been many events since Ferguson that would by worthy of placing on this website.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: The site identifies some relevant research/scholarly work that looks at injustices in the criminal justice system.
Concerns:: It appears to use a single case study as a call to action. It also appears that interest in the subject has flagged, since it has only had two new posts in several years. It could be used to find readings on injustices in the criminal justice system.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The website is organized for easy navigation. Links are workings.
Concerns:: This site is being maintained at a minimal level. It lists a limited number of resources that might be more relevant than this website.

Other Issues and Comments:: The title on Merlot is incorrect. The name is "Sociologists for justice".This website seems to exist in a particular zeitgeist. Anyone interested in the events started by the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri during Autumn 2014-Summer 2015 will find the material useful.
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