The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance.
As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On the first issue, we will look closely at the nature and causes of mass incarceration, the death penalty, the lawfulness and usefulness of preventive detention and risk assessment, and the role of the insanity defense and neuroscience in assessing responsibility for crime. On the second issue, we will explore the laws regulating the police use of force, the growing role of technology and big data in facilitating police surveillance and detection and deterrence of crime, and the remedies for police malfeasance, including the exclusionary rule and damages actions.
The overall goal is to help thinking individuals assess today’s criminal justice system and consider ways of making it better. After completing this course, participants should be able to:
1. Describe the mass incarceration problem in the United States and why it might exist;
2. Suggest ways of reducing incarceration;
3. Criticize risk assessment instruments and their use in preventive detention schemes;
4. Discuss the pros and cons of the death penalty, the exclusionary rule, and the insanity defense;
5. Analyze the relevance of neurological evidence in a criminal case;
6. Identify some of the reasons innocent people are wrongly convicted;
7. Elaborate on the role race plays at sentencing and in police use of force, stop and frisk and consent searches and
8. List the types of surveillance technology available to police and the constitutional principles that govern their use.
Status: Case Studies
Case Studies
Status: Legal Proceedings
Legal Proceedings
Beginner·Course·19 hours
Featured reviews
D
5.0·Reviewed Sep 7, 2020
It was interesting and I learnt my things .The professor has been very clear on everything he explains.
RO
5.0·Reviewed Nov 16, 2025
This was a very extensive course. I learned a great deal about our often complex criminal justice system. I highly recommend this course.
HT
5.0·Reviewed Jul 28, 2019
Fantastic content, additional readings, and presentation style by the Professor.
MT
5.0·Reviewed Jun 10, 2020
The course was planned out so well. The videos are precise and give us an insight into the criminal justice system. the readings let you know the subject more in detail.
AS
5.0·Reviewed May 18, 2020
I was able to learn so much through this course. It was taught so nicely. I definitely would recommend it.
NM
5.0·Reviewed Apr 29, 2022
It was such a interesting course. learned alot of new things.
KM
4.0·Reviewed Feb 20, 2023
The course was very interesting but I was unable to access several of the youtube videos. consequently I was not able to complete the course
CW
5.0·Reviewed Jun 24, 2020
This course gave me a good, foundational understanding of criminal justice in the US that can be used to determine areas of interest for further pursuit. Well done!
AB
5.0·Reviewed Jul 14, 2020
this course is absolutely great, ut gave me a lot of new information so it is definitely an add value
BP
5.0·Reviewed Apr 20, 2021
really good course, informative and interesting- well structured.
MA
5.0·Reviewed Nov 12, 2025
very interesting and complete ; covers all aspects of the american criminal justice system
MM
5.0·Reviewed Aug 30, 2020
Fantastic course! I have a degree in CJ and this was a nice refresher and I learned a lot, too. Very well-organized. I highly recommend!
All reviews
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S
S. Guez
1.0
·Reviewed Jun 19, 2020
The class itself is educational but the way the assessments are designed is quite rubbish. Written assessments are all graded by peer students which does not make a lot of sense as peer students can be highly unsure about the answer and grade whatever. It is unfair to depend on peers to grade. Personally, it is better to have multiple choice assessments than some written exams and not getting any constructive feedback from a professor, which is very useless. I do NOT recommend to buy this course.
M
Molly Ann Gach
2.0
·Reviewed Feb 11, 2020
I enjoyed the content, but because another individual on the site who happened to grade a single assignment well below what was deserved, and was far lower than the other grade awarded by a peer for the same assignment, I have not been able to complete the course. I received a 100% on every other assignment. I paid for this course, and even after a re-submission, have not received a new grade so that I can receive the certificate I paid for.
J
Juana
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 23, 2019
fantastic! I love how the lecture video is designed, with students raising questions, I am stimulated to think critically. The professor has been very clear on everything he explains. Overall, I recommend this course, which gives plentiful insight into what's going on in criminal justice.
A
Alanna Sethi
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 24, 2020
Highly engaging and interesting! Absolutely loved learning this :) [although keep in mind if you want to get the certificate, it may take a while due to the need for multiple peer reviews]
S
SHIVAM AGRAWAL
3.0
·Reviewed Oct 9, 2020
Asking other students to grade our test is more time taking. I finished all my assignments in one month but had to wait for others to grade my assignments.
S
Susan Flander
3.0
·Reviewed Jun 11, 2020
As an auditor, I found the course lectures to be informative and fairly accurate based on the topics discussed and the laws discussed. As far and interactive lectures, quizzes / test, and discussions; the course did not allow me to rate anything but the quizzes.
C
Carolyn Wiberg
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 25, 2020
This course gave me a good, foundational understanding of criminal justice in the US that can be used to determine areas of interest for further pursuit. Well done!
A
Alex Shanholtz
5.0
·Reviewed May 18, 2020
I was able to learn so much through this course. It was taught so nicely. I definitely would recommend it.
H
Henry T
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 28, 2019
Fantastic content, additional readings, and presentation style by the Professor.
H
Hayden De Falco
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 21, 2019
Incredibly engaging!!
V
Vitaliy M.
4.0
·Reviewed Jun 6, 2022
Very good structured course. I got tons of useful info. On contrary one big MINUS is that you won't get your course copmpleted as soon as you wish beacuse of Peers review assignments which is done carelessly. They just don't care what they are typing or checking so I suggest to remove this type of knowledge evaluation completely or at least reduce it to minimum and focusing more on thoroughly projecting quizzes and other types of estimations WITHOUT PEER involvement.
A
ADARSH PANDEY
1.0
·Reviewed Jun 24, 2020
Very pathetic course structure.
Expectations ruined.
Don't make the mistake of enrolling in this course
M
Md Rahman
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 3, 2023
The course was well designed, delivered and included important topics of US Criminal Justice. The learning was enjoyable as well as kind of depressing (because of the subject matter).
M
MEHER MANSI TATINENI
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 10, 2020
The course was planned out so well. The videos are precise and give us an insight into the criminal justice system. the readings let you know the subject more in detail.
M
Maricatherine Mullaney
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 30, 2020
Fantastic course! I have a degree in CJ and this was a nice refresher and I learned a lot, too. Very well-organized. I highly recommend!
P
Pamela Way
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 11, 2020
This course was very informative and thoughtfully outlined in the various hot topics in Criminal Justice
A
ALAA AL BAKHOUKH
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 15, 2020
this course is absolutely great, ut gave me a lot of new information so it is definitely an add value
J
Jennifer Ritter
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 28, 2020
This was super educational and very comprehensive. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the class!
S
Shavyrina Maria Andreevna
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 1, 2020
I was amazed by this course. It is really Wonderfull, so much new to find out
