PREJUDICE/VIOLENCE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Catalog description

Course examines the causes, incidence rates, and criminal justice handling of bias motivated incidents. Course materials include historical, legal, social, and other sources of data that elucidates how prejudice and discrimination affect the daily life of all people in a variety of ways. Besides examining how prejudice influences racial profiling, sexual harassment, legislative discrimination and other forms of marginalization, the course requires that students engage in reflective thinking about the Influences affecting their own lives, and encourages them to engage in a critical analysis of institutionalized forms of prejudice. Social norms are challenged and explored as factors that may influence some forms of hostility including examples on school playgrounds and/or workplace settings. Students examine how extreme prejudicial beliefs can under certain circumstances result in acts of bias-motivated hatred. The course examines the links between prejudice and bias motivated behaviors, the challenges posed by the first amendment in prosecuting bias crimes, the community impact after bias incidents take place and the criminal justice system handling bias.