Comparative Criminal Justice Systems SOCL 489 Sociology Study Abroad Summer 2010 Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico

Transcription

1 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems SOCL 489 Sociology Study Abroad Summer 2010 Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico Instructor: Office: Office Hours: Phone: Class Days & Times: Class Location: Course Description: Dr. Deborah Keeling & Michael Losavio, Esq. Centro-KIIS (MX) after class cell (US) (US) michael_losavio (Skype) Monday Friday, 11:30 a.m. 12:50 p.m. Centro-KIIS, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico SOCL 489 Sociology Study Abroad: Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (Western Kentucky University) This course is designed to allow the student to do a comparative analysis of the criminal justice systems in Mexico and the United States. This would include court systems, plea bargaining, punishment, sentencing, correctional institutions, death penalty, mental illness, incarceration trends and current crime issues. Various types of probation and diversionary programs will be discussed. It provides an overview of international criminal justice systems and the various issues, common and distinctive, that arise in criminal justice systems throughout the world. We will examine non-u.s. criminal justice systems in comparison with that of the United States. The concentration will be on the criminal justice systems of civil law countries with the focus on Mexico. Participants will identify and analyze the procedural aspects involved in developing and prosecuting, defending and adjudicating criminal cases in different national jurisdictions, from investigation to arrest through trial and appeal. The concept of due process will be examined. Course Objective: To provide students with a basic understanding of diversity of criminal justice systems and their components and processes throughout the world. Required Text Reichel, Philip, Comparative Criminal Justice Systems,5 th Ed., and Readings: Pearson Publishing Guitano, et al The Mexican Legal System (electronic handout) Apperson, et al Report on Justice Reform in Mexico, International Association for Court Administration (2007) (electronic handout)

2 Kentucky Institute for International Studies Mexico Pre-Professional Handbook 2010 profile of Mexico from the CIA World FactBook: : U.S. State Department's Mexico Country Report on Human Rights - U.S. State Department's Azerbaijan Country Report on Human Rights US AID assessment of Azerbaijan Legal System 2000: U.S. State Department's Russia Country Report on Human Rights : US AID Central American and Mexico Gang Assessment 2006, pp 1-15, gs_cam.pdf Reporter s Handbook on Covering the Kentucky Courts Handouts and on-line resources per the instructor. 2

3 Schedule- Note: this schedule is flexible and subject to change at the instructor s discretion, including as needed to accommodate guest speakers, field trips and special activities. Students should complete the assigned readings as scheduled unless otherwise directed. Class # 1-1 Class #1-2 Class #1-3 Comparative Criminal Justice Perspectives why bother?-approaches to an international perspective American Criminal Justice System Overview Introduction - Chapter 1 - Comp CJS ASSIGNMENT - PAPER 1 SUMMARY OF MEXICO:: -history-culture- current events - economics political system - legal system - profile of Mexico from the CIA World FactBook: - The Mexican Legal System ( electronic handout) Comparative Criminal Justice Perspectives The Four Major Legal Traditions In the World American Criminal Justice System Overview Chapter 4 - Comp CJS International Perspective on Policing Classification of Police Structure of s, Police Misconduct and Global Cooperation in the Transnational World Chapter 6 - Comp CJS Class # 1-4 Reporter s Handbook on Covering the Kentucky Courts STUDENT REPORTS Paper 1 - U.S. State Department's Mexico Country Report on Human Rights - Class # 1-5 Class #2-1 Guest Presentation: Mexican CJS - Police ASSIGNMENT - PAPER 2 INFORMATION ON MICHOACAN AND CITY OF MORELIA -history-culture- current events economics political system - legal system Substantive and Procedural Law in the Four Primary Systems Substantive Criminal Law and Concurrence of the General Principles Procedural Criminal Law-a Difference with Meaning Chapter 5 Comp CJS Mexico CJS Research Assignments - U.S. State Department's Mexico Country Report on Human Rights - U.S. State Department's Azerbaijan Country Report on Human Rights 3

4 U.S. State Department's Russia Country Report on Human Rights : STUDENT REPORTS Paper 2 Class # 2-2 The Mexican Legal System ( electronic handout) Class # 2-3 Class # 2-4 Crime, Transnational Crime and Justice The Rise of the Transnational Digital Crime Chapter 2, Comp CJS International Perspective on Courts Judges, Prosecutors, Defense Counsel, Clerks and All the Procedures and Presumptions regarding Guilt and Innocence in All the World Chapter 7 - Comp CJS US AID assessment of Azerbaijan Legal System 2000: Class # 2-5 Presentations: Mexican CJS - Law/Courts Apperson, et al Report on Justice Reform in Mexico, International Association for Court Administration (2007) (electronic handout) Class # 3-1 Class #3-2 Class # 3-3 Class #3-4 Class # 3-5 International Perspective on Corrections Sentencing Options, Financial Penalties, Corporal Punishment, Capital Punishment and Sentencing Alternatives Chapter 8 - Comp CJS International Perspective on Corrections - Continued International Perspective on Juvenile Justice-Models of Juvenile Justice Chapter 9 - Comp CJS US AID Central American and Mexico Gang Assessment 2006, pp 1-15, m.pdf MARKET DAY International Perspective on Juvenile Justice - Continued REVIEW- CHAPTERS Comp CJS Guest Presentations: Mexican CJS - Courts/Corrections/Juvenile Justice Early day Class #4-1 Class # 4-2 Class # 4-3 Class # 4-4 VILLAGE DAY Guest Presentations Lawyers and Advocates From Civil Law Forward Transitions in Criminal Justice 4

5 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS Paper 3 Class # th STUDENT PRESENTATIONS GRADE COMPOSITION Paper 1-10 % Paper 2-10% Culminating Project - Mexican CJS Journal and Presentation -50% (30% journal 20% presentation) Class & Activity Participation 30% Papers 1 and 2 are basic summary papers intended to present information to students in the course on the location of their international trip paper 1) Mexico and paper 2) the City of Morelia and State of Michoacan. You should begin your research and writing before you arrive in Morelia; ideally, you will have them already written, printed and ready for presentation. Each paper should be three pages, including cover page but not counting citations, double-spaced, 12- point text and should cover each of these six topics: History Current events Economy Culture Political System and Issues Legal System and Issues Presentations are expected to be well-prepared and professional. All papers submitted will be word processed, double-spaced and stapled or otherwise secured with paper clips or enclosed in a report binder. Pages are to be numbered and students are expected to include a cover page which contains the title of the paper, name of author, date of submission. Papers NOT typed and NOT stapled or otherwise securely "bound" together will not be accepted. Students will present and discuss their papers in class. Culminating Project - Mexican Criminal Justice System Journal/presentation Your daily journal is a research, observation and reflection account of the Mexican society where you are embedded, with a focus criminal justice system (law, police, courts, corrections and public perceptions). You should consider including, among other items, your thoughts on discussions with your host families, officials, your colleagues and local folks, your observations and your readings, including class materials and national/local/international media. 5

6 Students will present and defend their conclusions on the final day of class. Presentations are expected to be well-prepared and professional. Your daily journal may be hand-written but must be legible. You must make and date an entry for each day Monday through Friday, although week-end journaling is encouraged. Class & Activity participation is a key component of this class and counts for 30% of the grade. It requires students to be current on all the assigned readings and be prepared to discuss the key points in those readings, as well as on special assignments. Students may also be required to present to local students on the American criminal justice system as a service-learning component of the program. The Morelia newspapers are El Sol de Morelia - and La Voz de Michoacan Although you should try to read these at first in Spanish, online translation engines will help you keep track of the basic ideas in these newspapers. The Guadalahara Reporter is an English language news source - Grading Scale: % - A 89-80% - B 79-70% - C 69-60% - D 59 and lower - F 6

7 JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION HONOR CODE As members of the University community and as future members of the criminal justice profession, we recognize the need to set and to maintain the highest standards of conduct. Western Kentucky University/KIIS has set minimum standards of conduct in various policy statements. The standards of academic conduct established by Western Kentucky University/KIIS, as well as those established by this document, shall constitute the Honor Code and shall be applicable to all students at the Western Kentucky University/KIIS. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT A student who violates any standard of academic conduct established by Western Kentucky University/KIIS policy may be disciplined under this Honor Code. KIIS will take action against students who violate any standard of academic conduct or non-academic conduct standards. Any student who commits or attempts to commit any of the following violations of academic honesty will be disciplined under the conditions set forth by the University/KIIS. NOTE: The term academic exercise in the following definition include all forms of work submitted for academic credit hours. Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in academic exercise. Fabrication: Intentional and unauthorized falsifications or invention of any information or citation in any information or citation in an academic exercise. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another violate a provision of the University or school code of academic integrity or failure to report a violation of the Honor Code. Plagiarism: The deliberate adoption or reproduction of ideas or words or statements of another person as one s own without acknowledgement. Vandalism and Theft: Intentionally misusing, mutilating, defacing, destroying, removing, or unlawfully taking University/KIIS property to include library materials and computer hardware and software. Students knowing of a violation of this Honor Code shall: Report the violation to the instructor if the violation is limited to acts within a specific course. Report the violation to the chair of the department if the violation(s) involve(s) multiple courses, or the vandalism of University property, or activities that have implications and consequences beyond the scope of a single course. 7