CRJS - 101. Intro to Criminal Justice Studies

3 credit(s)
This Core course for the new Criminal Justice Studies major will trace the history of the U.S. criminal justice system, with emphasis placed on connections between the institution of slavery and our current state of mass incarceration. Students will be introduced to the concept of ”doing justice” and will probe whether our laws, policies and practices mete out justice for all, or whether they are applied in a discriminatory fashion. Critical race theory will be examined, in relation to the structure and application of our criminal laws and policies. The roles of the individuals who work within the criminal justice system will also be scrutinized, and special attention will be paid to whether and how certain reforms in the way in which these roles are performed, could render the system more just for all. Wrongful conviction, the death penalty, conditions of incarceration, and reentry into the community after incarceration are all topics to be dissected in this course, always with a lens towards improving the system to render it more just and rehabilitative. The Franciscan values of heritage, diversity and above all, social justice, will echo throughout this course via the lectures, readings and interpersonal connections and experiences offered.

Attribute: ARTS, PCST