CRIM 131 Introduction to the Criminal Justice System,The Criminal Justice System
3 Credits

This course provides an overview of the major agencies of the Canadian criminal justice system - the police, courts and corrections. We explore a number of issues, including: consensus and conflict models of law and the criminal justice system, the tension between due process rights and crime control, victims, criminal law, crime patterns, community-based corrections, young offenders, as well as aboriginal justice initiatives and restorative justice. A number of issues of contemporary concern will be examined, particularly as they relate to Northern and First Nations residents. These include police deviance/wrongdoing, racial profiling, murdered/missing Aboriginal women and girls, police oversight and accountability, access to justice, legal system oversight and accountability, wrongful convictions, mental health and the criminal justice system and criminal justice reform.,This course provides an overview of the structure and operation of the Canadian criminal justice system. Learners will explore the core components of the system -- law enforcement, courts, and corrections -- while considering the influence of social, political and economic factors on crime, and its control. Contemporary challenges will be examined including the overrepresentation of marginalized individuals, both as victims and offenders, professional misconduct, oversight/accountability, and the impact of technology. Experiential place-based learning will be prioritized through field-based learning whenever possible and this may include engagement with personnel and the major agencies of the criminal justice system.

Transfer Credits
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