Dr. Natalie Johnson wants to give her criminal justice students a small taste of how economic status plays into someone's decision to commit crimes - and what type of crime each economic status is likely to commit. 

Enter: Monopoly. But this version is a bit different from what you learned as a child. This version mimics real life situations. 

In this version, each person starts with a different amount of money, a different number of properties, and a different payment for passing go. 

Community Chest and Chance cards are replaced with "illegal opportunity" and "legal opportunity" cards. One pile for the rich, and a different pile for the poor. 

Other rules are similar to Monopoly - roll dice, do what the board and cards say, pay rent for landing on owned properties, buy what you can afford. 

The players who start at the lowest pay scale hold their breath while passing Park Place and Boardwalk for fear of losing all their money in the first couple of turns. 

They liquidate properties, borrow money, or receive gifts, hoping their luck changes. 

The rich keep getting richer, even when caught for crimes... 

...while the poor seem to get more desperate with each roll of the dice. 

If you're lucky, someone may bail you out. 

But if not: game over. 

posted 04/22/2016 in Academics

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