This course will examine issues, concerns, and problems related to the death penalty in the United States, including important Supreme Court decisions as well as how the various jurisdictions that include state, federal and military, deal with the capital cases, the history of capital punishment. The will also examine comparative costs of incarceration and execution, miscarriages of justice in capital cases, and how the criminal justice responds to these issues.
Prerequisite Courses
Prerequisites
(LIBR 150 may be taken concurrently).
Course Outcomes
After successfully completing the course, the learner will be able to:
- Explain the trends and patterns of capital punishment in the U.S.
- Describe the historical development of punishment and corrections.
- Identify and discuss the relationships between sentencing policy and corrections.
- Identify the key issues of jails and other short-term detention facilities.
- Distinguish how community based correctional practices fit into the larger picture of punishment and correction.
- Define and describe the key issues faced by prison administrators, prisoners, and the entire correctional system.
- Discuss the impact of major Supreme Court cases with respect to capital punishment
- Explain issues and problems surrounding the contemporary use of capital punishment