Course Details

Justice, Equity, and Opportunity: Shifting Approaches to Criminal Justice Reform

The events revolving the death of George Floyd have proliferated the discourse about the criminal justice system in the United States, including the role of police and incarceration. Historically, this public discourse has been dominated mostly by media and political advocacy, with the balance of evidence-based policy solutions and political acumen receiving relatively short shrift. In this practicum, students will be trained to approach these issues from the perspective of a senior criminal justice policymaker in government who has practiced multiple theories of change, from community organizing to litigation. In turn, we will develop criminal justice policy intelligence and knowledge on the history, core themes, debates, and concepts, such as the movement to defund the police, abolish the cash bail system, and decriminalize drugs. The discussions will allow students to interrogate the extent to which efforts have been successful, imagine new strategies in the future, and learn from additional visiting guests, including politicians, community organizers, academics, artists, and formerly incarcerated individuals. We will exit with a sophisticated understanding of the skills and tools necessary to handle criminal justice policy problems raising complex legal, political and social questions. In addition to a seminar component examining criminal justice policy, students engage in a hands-on policy project involving identifying and defining key criminal issues, conducting primary and secondary research, analyzing research findings and making policy recommendations to a client in the criminal justice policy arena.

Catalog Number: CRIM 629


Course History

Fall 2023
Title: Justice, Equity, and Opportunity: Shifting Approaches to Criminal Justice Reform
Faculty: Rallins, Quinn Kareem
Section: 1     Credits: 3.0
Capacity: 25     Actual: 23

Fall 2022
Title: Justice, Equity, and Opportunity: Shifting Approaches to Criminal Justice Reform
Faculty: Rallins, Quinn Kareem
Section: 1     Credits: 3.0
Capacity: 25     Actual: 22

Fall 2021
Title: Justice, Equity, and Opportunity: Shifting Approaches to Criminal Justice Reform
Faculty: Rallins, Quinn Kareem
Section: 1     Credits: 3.0
Capacity: 25     Actual: 21