LAW 6570 - Wrongful Convictions

Elective
Over 3,200 people have been exonerated of crimes for which they did not commit, and this number continues to grow. This course will examine the causes that lead to wrongful convictions, including mistaken eyewitness identification, false confession, faulty forensic science, police and prosecutorial misconduct, and ineffective assistance of counsel. In each topic area, the course will analyze pervasive failures in the criminal justice system and the intersection of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and mental disability. The course will also examine post-conviction remedies available in both state and federal court as well as proposed reforms to prevent wrongful convictions in the future. The course is interdisciplinary and critically explores wrongful convictions from a legal, scientific, cultural, and psychological perspective.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade

Close Window