PSY 345 - Inside/Out Prison Exchange

Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR (students beginning prior to Fall 2024): Meets general academic requirement IL.
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of mass incarceration and the criminal justice system in U.S. cities. We investigate the origins of the politics of law and order from the mid-twentieth century to today, against a broader backdrop of macro-structural changes in the social, economic, and political landscape. We will also examine the lived experiences of people who are involved with the U.S. justice system. Using Lehigh County neighborhoods as our site of study, this course will analyze the relationship between crime, punishment, and inequality, emphasizing the institutions, processes, and mechanisms that shape the lives of individuals involved in the judicial system. (There are no prerequisites; however, all students complete an application process and interview prior to acceptance in the course).