For many Americans, the main interaction with the criminal justice system is through television; Cops, Law & Order, The Wire, and Orange is the New Black are just a few of the dozens of shows that dramatize the criminal justice system.  However, for too many people, particularly those who are poor, immigrants, or BIPOC, the criminal justice system plays an outsize role in their lives in ways that are often overlooked by the dramas we watch on our small screens.

The purpose of this course is to introduce Pomfret students to the five main elements of the criminal justice system: the law, the police, the courthouse, incarceration, and the process of reentry into society. Beyond simply learning about the system, this course will be grounded in experiential learning. We will meet with Pomfret alums and local officials involved in the criminal justice system; we will complete case studies about wrongly convicted citizens; we will take a variety of field trips to local courthouses and police precincts. The end goal of this course is to empower each student to find his/her own voice to push for real-world reforms to help create a more fair, equitable system for all.

Departmental approval is required.