SOCIOL 338: Criminal Courts

This course considers the organization and functions of criminal courts. The foundations and designs of court systems and issues relevant to American state and federal courts are examined. Special attention is paid to the roles and interactions of courtroom actors, including defendants, victims, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and juries. Pre-trial processes, plea-bargaining, sentencing, and specialized courts are also considered. This course focuses on the design, structures, and processes, of criminal courts rather than on legal theory or on the study of particular laws.