Crime and Punishment

Catalog description

This is a class about the American criminal justice system-from policing to prisons, from arrest to reentry. In many ways, the operation of the modern criminal justice system is taken for granted, which frequently allows it to escape close scrutiny. But we will examine it in great detail, with a focus on how it came about, how it sustains itself, its many roles in society (only some of which involve crime and justice), and how and why it may be changing. In Spring 2027, the class will take a particular look at the use of the criminal justice system by the Trump Administration and reflect on whether, and to what extent, that use has been legitimate. NB: This class is designed to challenge your settled assumptions and dearly held myths about what is right and wrong with the system. Those who have made up their mind about criminal justice in America should not take the course. (GOVT-AM)