Are all persons accused of crimes afforded equal access to fair and just disposition of the charges filed against them? Over many decades, examples abound suggesting access to equal justice is limited and inaccessible to many. In the 1960s and 70s, civil rights activists were punished as criminals for exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights to public protest. Since the 1980s, prison populations have grown exponentially with racial and ethnic minorities disproportionately among those incarcerated. And since the 1990s, media outlets have repeatedly documented the brutal and unwarranted treatment of Black Americans by law enforcement.
Some who study this issue believe our current system of justice systematically treats racial and ethnic minorities far more severely than whites. Others assert the disproportionate arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of minorities, particularly African Americans, originates instead from severe social and economic conditions that foster higher rates of involvement in serious and violent crimes.
In this class, we will take a deep dive into critical issues related to law enforcement, prosecution, adjudication and sentencing, and corrections. In doing so, we will study theories of law and justice, applying them to the working worlds of each area of the justice system. We will learn from original published research, guest speakers who are practicing professionals, from academic scholars studying these issues, from documentaries about criminal justice and from one another’s experiences, perspectives and ideas.
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law, criminal justice, and public policy