LAW 531 - Selected Topics in Criminal Justice - Mass Incarceration

Spring Credits: (2-3) Jeffrey Bellin

This seminar will study the phenomenon of “mass incarceration” in the United States. The first part of the class will explore the explosive growth in recent decades in the number of people sent to prisons and jails through the American Criminal Justice system. We will seek to identify the causes of mass incarceration and discuss potential mechanisms to reduce the country’s prison population. The second portion of the class will consist of student presentations related to the topic of mass incarceration. Each student will chose a topic, in consultation with the instructor, research the topic and make a short presentation to the class. Students will write short analytical papers on their topics. There is no final exam.