Incarceration & the Law

COLLEGE OF LAW

Incarceration & the Law

Course Number: 6915
Professor: Meredith Esser
Credit Hours & Type of Credit: 3
Semester Offered: Fall
Required: No
Prerequisites: Students must have completed their first year of law school
Recommended Courses: None

Course Overview: Courses in criminal law tend to focus on the front end of the criminal legal process: the constitution protections afforded to criminal defendants during the investigation and prosecution of a crime. But for most individuals caught up in the criminal legal system, especially those charged with serious offenses, the trial process is only the preamble to an extended period of time in America's prisons. This course focuses in depth on a key component of the "back end" of the criminal legal system: the law and policy of incarceration. This course will briefly cover some criminological theories related to sentencing and the causes of mass incarceration before turning to the following topics: the scope of prisoners' constitutional rights, access to the courts for the incarcerated, litigation over conditions of confinement, including solitary confinement, access to medical care, and other civil rights-based claims, and the Prison Litigation Reform Act. This course is essential for anyone interested in criminal defense, criminal prosecution, or civil rights litigation.

Course Materials:See the current Book List located under Scheduling, supplemental materials
Course Format: Lecture, class discussion
Written Assignments: Final paper and additional assignments
Type of Exam: None
Basis for Grading Student Performance: Written work and class participation
Other Comments: