Foundational Perspectives on Transforming Justice and Violence Prevention

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course provides an examination of innovative approaches to transforming justice from micro, mezzo, and macro perspectives, enabling students to consider the key issues at each level, as well as the possibilities for creating integrated solutions. The course focuses on transformative non-carceral methods that address violence successfully while also redressing the inequities of the criminal legal system. Students will engage with interdisciplinary perspectives, including sociological, political, and legal theories, restorative practices, and community-based strategies, to develop practical skills and strategies for creating positive change. This course emphasizes two primary systems, the criminal legal and juvenile justice systems, and examines key examples of punishment, justice, and violence prevention and response situated in other aligned systems, such as schools, poverty management systems, and crisis response programs.