This course provides a basic overview of the American criminal justice system, including law enforcement, prosecution/defense, courts, probation, parole, corrections and related public policy issues. We will use a social scientific perspective to discuss the history and philosophy of our criminal justice system and its relationship with larger political structures and patterns of inequality in relation to marginalized groups (i.e., racial/ethnic minorities, women, low-income populations, LGBTQ+ community, etc.). Careers related to crime and legal studies will also be explored.
Semester Offered
Offered fall