CJS 321 Prosecuting Crime

The most powerful person in America is the Prosecutor. This special topic course visits the key discretionary decisions (and constitutional implications) that prosecutors make every day which support the claim that they are the most powerful force in American society. This course discusses the process by which the prosecutor screens cases and how they decide whether or not to prosecute, and if prosecuting, who to prosecute and for what offense. Also covered are the pretrial procedures of bail and recognizance, pre-trial practice leading to up to a criminal trial, plea bargaining, guilty pleas, and jury selection. Each topic covered emphasizes the role and constitutional obligations of the prosecution in the process. The course is taught using a casebook and Socratic method. Fulfills the diversity requirement.