Courses in the FIG:
UGST 109 FIG Seminar
XXXX | XXXX | 15411 | 1 Credit
Since 1989, nearly 3,500 people have been found to have been wrongfully convicted by our criminal legal system. Collectively, those exonerees have served nearly 32,000 years in prison for crimes they did not commit. For example, Jesse Johnson was convicted by a Salem, Oregon jury of a 1998 aggravated murder and sentenced to death. He walked out of prison two years ago—after 25 years on death row—when his lawyers found additional evidence that supported his innocence.
In this class, we will examine the causes and effects of wrongful convictions. We will consider such issues as:
- What the actual rate of wrongful convictions is
- False confessions
- Prosecutorial misconduct
- The use of DNA in exonerating the innocent
- The role of race in wrongful convictions and exonerations
- “Junk” forensic science and wrongful convictions
- Eyewitness testimony
- Compensation for wrongful conviction and incarceration
- Collateral consequences of wrongful convictions
We will consider why the U.S. criminal legal system produces wrongful convictions and what can be done about it. We will have videos, guest speakers, and lively discussions.
SOC 280 Introduction to Criminology
Social Science (>2) | (>AC) | (>US) | WEB ASYNC | 15034 | 4 Credits
Crime is a regular occurrence in most of our lives—whether we see it in the news, have been personally affected, or are enthralled by the latest TV series. Less frequently considered is the meaning of the term, “criminology,” which can be defined as “the study of the processes of making laws, breaking laws, & reacting towards the breaking of laws” (Sutherland & Cressey, 1974). This course is designed to give you a broad introduction to criminology as a discipline, including measurements & definitions of crime, the myriad societal & personal factors that explain crime, & criminal justice system processes & responses. We’ll also consider how criminology is woven into a range of careers in research, education, government, law, & non-profit organizations.
LAW 102 Intro to Criminal Law
Social Science (>2) | Tuesday/Thursday | 18:00-19:50 | 13163 | 4 Credit
What should count as a crime? What, if anything, justifies criminal punishment? Why is it that America, the “land of the free,” has the highest incarceration rate in the world? Bridging theory and practice, this course explores philosophical questions about what criminal law and punishment ought to be like and equips students to understand how criminal law and punishment actually function in the United States.
