Course Description
This course, which will be taught using the Inside-Out method, will explore some of the most fundamental and current issues arising in criminal justice and the law. Among them those issues and questions: What is the history of prisons in the U.S., and why do we have prisons now? Why has the U.S. engaged in one of the largest experiments in mass incarceration the world has ever seen? Why do people commit crime? Are there alternatives to incarceration that would produce better outcomes and a more just system? What role has race played in criminal justice in the U.S., and what would a more just system look like? The course will bring together students from the School of Law (and perhaps undergraduates from the University of Pittsburgh) with students who are incarcerated at a correctional institution in the region. All students will study together, with most class sessions taking place at the institution. Students will use reading and group discussions as well as writing assignments to bring together theoretical knowledge and learning, lived experience, and the experience gained in the class. The Inside-Out method emphasizes collaboration and dialogue facilitated by the instructor, which invites all participants in the class to address topics under discussion with a willingness to discuss things with honesty and integrity and to learn from each other. Students should anticipate that they will have the opportunity to test and sharpen their understanding of criminal justice issues, in an environment that will depend upon an honest exchange of ideas through real dialogue. In doing so, we will create real connection between students on the outside, and students on the inside.