This program will introduce students to the study of law and our system of justice as major social institutions. Our class will focus on law and legal policies in U.S. history. We will examine questions as the following: How have laws developed in the U.S.? How have they been enforced? How have enforcement patterns changed over time? Which populations and interest groups have benefitted most from laws and their enforcement? 

The class will also focus on our system of justice and how it administers and enforces laws. We will study the many stages of the legal process and the social and legal forces influencing how the process works. We will discuss the working relationships between legal actors in the justice system and how they interact with one another and with the clients they represent. Finally, we will study the relationships between laws, their enforcement, and social, racial and economic inequalities the larger society.

Students will participate actively in seminar discussions, develop and demonstrate a deep understanding of the ideas and concepts studied. They will strengthen their skills in reading original research, in writing argumentative/expository essays, and in reasoning through the role of law in addressing social problems.

Students will be expected to participate in two class sessions held weekly, complete all assignments along with approximately 2-3 hours of classwork (delivered online weekly), and meet periodically with faculty during scheduled office hours.   

Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:

4 - Law and Policy: The Origin, Enactment, and Implementation of Laws and Public Policies 

4 - Society and Justice: The Administration of Civil and Criminal Justice