Description

Since the mid-1970s, the rate of incarceration in the U.S. has multiplied fivefold. Nearly 2.4 million Americans are now behind bars, roughly one in every 100 adults. If those are parole or probation are included, one adult in 31 is under correctional supervision. Sociologists say we are living in an era of “mass incarceration,” where the experience of incarceration is so pervasive among some social groups as to be a defining feature of their collective (rather than individual) experience.

This course is designed to stimulate students to think critically about contemporary punishment practices, and the serious social and economic consequences mass incarceration has wrought. What have been the effects of the prison build-up? What are the social costs to the communities from which this vast incarcerated population comes? What accounts for these trends? What are the public safety consequences? What happens to inner-city communities when prisoners return as free men and women in need of social and economic support? What happens to the children of incarcerated parents? How is our legal and criminal justice system responding? We will address these topics, bringing a legal and criminological perspective to bear on these important policy topics.

The seminar format will combine lecture, independent research, and student presentations. Each student will produce a high-quality research paper on a subject of their choice within the broad field of the causes and consequences of mass incarceration and subject to the constraints discussed below under “Research Paper and Presentation.” The assigned readings and lectures will likely provide background and context for the paper topic selected. The seminar also aims to give you grounding in a selection of the major issues that confront policymakers in the field.

• Number of Units: 3
• Course Number: 384

Recently Taught By:

• Joan Petersilia