SOC 3630 - Courts and Society

This course examines the judicial apparatus in the United States and the exercise of direction by criminal justice workers. Approaching the subject from a sociological perspective, key members of the courtroom work-group are considered, such as judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and jurors, and their contributions to judicial process are scrutinized, especially within the informal mechanism of plea bargaining and the formal trial process. Particular attention is devoted to how social groups are defined by race, class, gender, and age are treated by these judicial actors. A grade of “C” or better in this course is required to be counted towards the Criminal Justice Studies major requirement.

Prerequisites & Corequisites: Prerequisite: SOC 3620

Credits: 3 hours