Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: One Day Takehome

The subject of this course is the criminal process “from bail to jail.” We will address some of the main constitutional and policy issues that arise about the structure of this process, including the right to counsel, the influence of prosecutorial discretion, the institution of plea bargaining, the role of the jury, and the choice of sentencing procedures. We will also address some important issues about the outcomes produced by this process, including the problem of wrongful convictions (innocence) and disparate racial and class impacts.