LAW 704SEM - Criminal Law: Sentencing and Prisons

There are more than 2 million people incarcerated in the United States. For these millions of people, trial and conviction is only the beginning of their story. This seminar will explore the back end of the criminal legal system: what happens after a conviction? We will discuss sentencing policy and practice, both state and federal, including mandatory minimums and constitutional challenges to sentences, as well as laws and policies regarding incarceration and prison conditions, including solitary confinement and access to health care. Students will be expected to observe a sentencing hearing, and we will plan a visit as a class to a local correctional institution. We will discuss current law and practice, as well as proposed reforms to the system. Students will practice sentencing with real case studies. Students will be expected to read and actively engage in class, as well as to write and present before the end of the semester an assignment on a topic related to sentencing and/or prisons.

Credits: 3