Description
This course is designed to provide an over?view of the legal system in America, includ?ing the history and evolution of law enforce?ment and the criminal law, to the present status of the criminal justice system. Topics discussed will include the purposes and goals of the criminal justice system; the his?tory and evolution of the criminal law and the legal process; the role of law enforce?ment in a democratic society; the balancing of individual rights versus the protection of society; the manner in which the criminal justice system confronts terrorism; and the development and current status of justice policy. The course will examine in signifi?cant detail the three primary components that comprise the criminal justice system: law enforcement, adjudication, and cor?rections. Juvenile justice and its purposes and goals will also be discussed.