Selected Problems in Criminal Justice

This three unit course will explore current issues involved in the American criminal justice system. They will transcend specific categories such as "criminal procedure" or "substantive criminal law." Instead the unifying features here will be problems which are current, practical and complex and which involve constitutional, statutory and policy analysis. Enrollment is limited. Class will meet in one 2-hour session each week. The first hour will be a discussion led by students on the assigned topic; I will then lead a further discussion of that topic for the second hour. At least two weeks prior to the designated oral assignment, the students must meet with me to discuss the substance of the presentation, the format for it, and the reading materials for the other students in the class. Depending on class size, each student will prepare either 2 or 3 presentations. No book need be purchased for this class; instead reading materials for each class session will be placed on reserve or sent electronically at least one week prior to that class. The grade for this class will be determined as follows: 50% for class presentations and class participation apart from the presentations; 50% for a paper due the last day of the exam period. There will be no final examination. The paper (approximately 20-25 pages, double spaced) can be on any subject area covered in the course and the student is free to consider alternative formats for the writing (e.g., essay, client opinion letter, appellate brief, motion, judicial opinion, model statute with commentary). By February 15 each student must submit, in writing, a short description of the subject to be covered in the paper along with a statement of the format to be used. To receive credit for this course, each student must attend the first two meetings and at least 10 of the 12 class sessions involving student presentations. This semester, some of the subjects to be covered in the class include: the insanity defense, "stand-your-ground" laws, entrapment, conspiracy, the exclusionary rule, Miranda, sentencing, high technology searches, and capital punishment. Assignments for the class presentations will be made prior to the second meeting of the class.