US Criminal Law and Procedure

Students will learn the basics of United States Criminal Law, such as the organization of the criminal courts at the state and federal levels; the roles of law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, defense attorneys, grand juries, judges, and trial juries. We will also discuss topics of specific interest, such as modern-day policing in the United States, mass incarceration, the death penalty, the criminal prosecution of juveniles, DNA, and post-conviction litigation leading to the subsequent exoneration of wrongfully convicted individuals.