ST CJ: Comprng Jewish/American

Catalog description

This course provides a forum for students to explore criminal justice in a comparative perspective. Following introductory classes on the sources and structure of Jewish law, the course will examine substantive, procedural, and philosophical topics related to criminal justice that are found in both Jewish law and American law. Topics may include capital punishment, self-incrimination, confidentiality, ethics in prosecution and criminal defense, and the interaction of Jewish law with other legal systems, including the American legal system. Course materials will include translations of primary and secondary sources of Jewish law, as well as contemporary American legal scholarship. No knowledge of Hebrew or prior study of Jewish law is required for the course.