56:202: 510 Issues and Trends

Dr. Humphries

Fall 2005 Wednesday evenings 6:00-8:40

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Course Description

Issues and Trends in Criminal Justice is desiged to familiarize graduate students with a major shift in criminal justice, the rise of problem solving courts, especially drug courts over the last decades. The course covers the basics of drug courts, problem solving courts, therapeutic justice, debates about drug courts, and drug court-related research on its effectiveness. While these issues may appear fairly narrow, the seminar places them in a broader context: the impact of the war on drug on American courts, the debate over due process and crime control, and the transformation in thinking about the nature of crime and the greater importance of coordinated responses.

Basic Requirements and Evaluation

Requirements for Issues and Trends involve a midterm and final exam, a seminar paper on a topic related to problem solving courts, and several in-class presentations. Exams are essay and cover the material on the reading list as well as class lectures and presentations. Please note that the emphasis in grading your seminar paper is on work-in-progress. Each of requirements are weighted as follows:

50% of the course grade: 2 Exams, a midterm that counts 25% and a final that counts 25%
25% of the course grade: Seminar Paper is graded in stages: annotated bibliography (25%), first draft (25%), and final draft (50%).
25% classroom presentations:
Instructions: Students are assigned readings for 15 minute presentations, which are graded. What questions does the author ask? How does he go about answering them or what is his appraoch to methods or statistics?
What are the major findings and how to they relate to the original questions?
Instructions: 10 minute presentation. Identify topic and basic questions asked by the paper. Indicate how each article in annotated bibliography help you answer these questions. Where do the citations appear to be heading: consistency, inconsistency, or chaos. What is the relative value of different sources? Is one source weak while another has a better sample or design? Are there gaps in your bibliography? How do you plan to fill them in.

Rules of the Road

Weekly reading assignments are due on the date they appear on the course outline.
Late papers papers, assignments, or presentations are not accepted in this class. An assignment is considered late at 8:41 p.m. on the date it was due.
Missed exams may be made up, provided the student contacts the instructor within 24 hours of the exams. Documentation is required.
Absenses will significantly affect your grade in this class.

Reading List

Only one text is required:
 The remainder of the reading list is available at the websites or data bases listed below.
  1. National Criminal Justice Reference Service. In the spot light: Drug court summary <http://www/ncjrs.org/drug_courts/summary.html
  2. National Association of Drug Court Professionals. What is drug court?  <http://www.nadcp.org>
  3. Special Issue on Drug Courts. Law & Public Policy. 23 (2),  April 2001 available in full text through EBSCO HOST
  1. Special issue on community courts and community Justice in American Criminal Law Review volune 40 (fall, 2003) available in full text through Lexis Nexis
  1. Special Issue on  Community courts and community justice in American Criminal Law Review volume 41 (Summer, 2003) available in full text through Lexis Nexis.
  1. Section on drug treatment courts in Criminology & Public Policy 2 (2) March 2003 available through EBSCO HOST

Course Outline


Week 1 Introduction
evaluation
reading list
plagiarism
work in progress
presentations
therapeutic justice
due process & crime contol, the war on drugs and the courts,
assign presenters for Law & Public Policy symposium


 reading:
  1. National Criminal Justice Reference Service. In the spot light: Drug court summary <http://www/ncjrs.org/drug_courts/summary.html
  2. National Association of Drug Court Professionals. What is drug court?  <http://www.nadcp.org>

 participation:
Week 2 Problem solving courts
 Special Issue on Drug Courts. Law & Public Policy. 23 (2),  April 2001 available in full text through EBSCO HOST
  • Greg Berman and John Feinblatt, Problem-solving courts: A brief primer
  • John S. Goldkamp, Michael D. White, and Jennifer N. Robinson, Context and change: The evolution of pioneering drug courts in Portland and Las Vegas (1991-1998).
  • David E. Olson, Arthur J. Luricio, and Stephanie Albertson. Implementating the key components of specialized drug treatment courts: Practice and policy considerations.
 Student presentations: expect to talk for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Week 3 Problem solving courts (continued)
 Special Issue on Drug Courts. Law & Public Policy. 23 (2),  April 2001 available in full text through EBSCO HOST
  • James R. Acker, Pamela Nicole Hendrix, Lorraine Hogan, and Andrea Kordzek. Building a Better Youth Court.
  • Mary Lee Luskin. Who is diverted? Case selection for court-monitores mental health treatment.
  • John Roman and Adele Harrell. Assessing the costs and benefits accruing to the public from a graduated sanctions porgam for drug-using defendants.

 Student presentations: expect to talk for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Week 4 Guest Speaker on Camden's Drug Court. Question and Answer Session. In-class workshop on annotated bibliography: Topic and Basic questions asked by the paper, how articles in annotated bibliography help you answer these questions. Where the citations appear to be heading: consistency, inconsistency, or chaos. Relative value of different sources? Are there gaps in your bibliography? How do you plan to fill them in.
 Bring all materials for the annotated bibliography
Week 5
Introduce Nolan's book, Reinventing Justice:
  •  Presentations and Question and Answer session about work in progress.
10 minute presentations of annotated bibliography (minimum of 7 citations)
Week 6 Lecture on Nolan's book, Reinventing Justice, Introduction-Chapter 4
  •  Guest Speaker on Camden's Drug Court. 
  • Return and discuss annotated bibliographies.
  • James L. Nolan, Jr. 2001. Reinventing Justice: The American Drug Court Movement. Princeton: Princeton University Press: Introduction-Chapter 4.
Week 7
 In Class Midterm: essay exam covering material to date
Week 8 Lecture on Nolan's book, Reinventing Justice, chapters 5-8.
  • Return and discuss midterms. 
  • James L. Nolan, Jr. 2001. Reinventing Justice: The American Drug Court Movement. Princeton: Princeton University Press: Chapter 5-8.
Week 9 Lecture on Nolan and his critics
  • Turn in First Draft of Seminar Paper
  • Present first draft to the seminar
  • Special issue on community courts and community Justice in American Criminal Law Review volune 40 (fall, 2003) available in full text through Lexis Nexis
    • James Nolan Jr. Redefining criminal courts: Problem solving and the meaning of justice. see page 1541.
    • Judge Morris B. Hoffman. A neo-retributionist consurs with professor Nolan. see page 1567.
    • Victoria Malkin. Community courts and the process of accountability: Consensus and conflict at the Red Hook Community Justice Center.
    • Daniel Richman. Professional Identity: Comment on Simon. see page 1609.
    • Jane M. Spinack. Why defenders feel defensive: The defender's role in problem solving courts. see page 1617.

10 minute presentations by all students on their papers.
Week 10
Lecture on Nolan and his critics
  • Guest Speaker on Camden's Drug Court.
  • Return and discuss first drafts of papers.
  • Special Issue on  Community courts and community justice in American Criminal Law Review volume 41 (Summer, 2003) available in full text through Lexis Nexis.
    • Greg Berman. 2004. Comment: Redefining criminal courts: problem solving and the meaning of justice. see page 1313.
    • Michael Dorf and Jeffrey A. Fagan. Community courts and community justice: Foreword: Problem-solving courts: from innovation to institutionalization. see page 1501
    • Candace McCoy.Community Courts and community justice: Commentary: The politics of problem solving: An overview of the orgins and development of therapeutic courts. see page 1513.
    • Laurie O. Robinson. Community courts and community justice: Comentary: Commentary on Candace McCoy
Week 11
 No Class-American Society of Criminology Meetings this week
Week 12
 No class on November 23rd in anticipation of thanksgiving holiday
Week 13 Lecture on McCoy-Robinson controversy
  • Guest Speaker on Comden's Drug Court.
  • Special Issue on  community courts and community justice in American Criminal Law Review volume 41 (Summer, 2003) available in full text through Lexis Nexis.
    • Candace McCoy.Community Courts and community justice: Commentary: The politics of problem solving: An overview of the orgins and development of therapeutic courts. see page 1513.
    • Laurie O. Robinson. Community courts and community justice: Comentary: Commentary on Candace McCoy
Week 14
Lecture: Who gets the last word on drug courts?
 Section on drug treatment courts in Criminology & Public Policy 2 (2) March 2003 available through EBSCO HOST
    • Mark A.R. Kleiman. Editorial introduction.
    • Denise C. Gottredson, Stacy S. Najaka, and Brook Kearley. Effectiveness of drug treatment courts: Evidence from a randomized trial.
    • Reaction essays:
      • John Goldkamp. The impact of drug couts.
      • Adele Harrell. Judging drug courts: Balancing the evidence.
Week 15
 In Class Final: essay exam, materials since the midterm