Race, Class, and Punishment

Since the early 1970s, the criminal justice system in the United States has expanded dramatically. America has adopted an array of increasingly tough approaches to crime, including aggressive street-level policing, longer sentences, and a range of collateral consequences for criminal convictions. As a result, there are currently 2.2 million persons in prisons and jails and seven million under some form of correctional supervision. The impact on communities of color has been especially profound: In many of our nation's cities, nearly one-half of young black men are in the criminal justice system. This seminar will begin with readings discussing the tough-on-crime era's historical roots. We will then turn to examine the impact of these policies. Finally, we will turn to current efforts to resist and reform the system that has been created. This portion of the seminar will focus on violent crime, and whether and how to respond to violent crime differently than we currently do. The assigned reading will be substantial, and will come from a wide variety of sources, including history, sociology, political science, criminology, and law. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper.