Crime and Punishment: A History of American Criminal Justice

(5 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

"Law and order" has been a common refrain from American politicians in recent years, but what does it actually mean? What exactly is "law and order"? How have its meanings changed over time? And what are the consequences of "law and order policies for those in the criminal justice system? Throughout the module you'11 explore the changing nature of criminal justice in the United States, drawing on a range of legal, political, and historical sources. You'll learn to place legal changes in their political context and to consider the implications of legal and political debates about crime and punishment for those in the criminal justice system. You'll learn to read Supreme Court cases for their legal and political implications as well as gaining skills in managing a range of primary and secondary sources. You'll also develop your critical thinking and writing skills. In this module you'll take a tour through the American criminal justice system, beginning with police investigations and following through arrest, trial, and punishment. At each stage you'll consider how the process has changed over time, why those changes have taken place, and with what consequences. You'll explore legal and constitutional debates about the civil rights of suspects and the accused (including the so-called "right to silence" and the right to a lawyer), as well as considering contemporary political and policy debates which shaped those debates (for example, gangsters and Prohibition or the impact of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s). By the end of the module you'll have developed a deeper understanding of how law, policy, and politics interact to shape criminal justice and see how "justice" is a product of the times in which we live. You'll learn through self-directed study and seminars. By the end of the module you will have a better understanding of key issues in American history and politics. You will have strengthened your reasoning, analytical, and debating skills and further developed your writing and oral communication skills.