CRJU 352 - Wrongful Convictions: The Causes, Consequences, and Responses

Credits: (3)

Instructional Method: Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: Juniors and seniors or permission of the instructor.
This course will utilize a case study approach to examine the causes of wrongful conviction. The course will also address questions about the consequences of wrongful conviction by looking at life after exoneration and the resources available to individuals who have been exonerated. Both criminal and civil law will be reviewed in order to understand how the justice system can either benefit those who have been wrongly convicted or continue to victimize them. Finally, the course will address individual and institutional responses to wrongful conviction. The goal of the course is to broaden the perspective of students who will potentially be in positions of power within the American justice system.