NCJ Number
95433
Date Published
1984
Length
54 pages
Annotation
Guidelines for teaching the four units of the Living Law curriculum -- an overview of the criminal justice system, the police, the courts, and corrections -- consider course objectives, basic concepts, instructional methods, and student activities.
Abstract
An introduction reviews the development of the Living Law curriculum and its objectives of helping students understand the legal system, increasing their knowledge about law and constitutional rights, and developing skills. The guide suggests ways to involve resource experts in the classroom, arrange field activities, and provide opportunities for peer teaching. The first unit covers the basic concepts of crime, law, and constitutional rights. The second addresses law enforcement and constitutional guarantees which affect its practices. Topics explored include search and seizure, attitudes toward the police, and police use of firearms. The third section discusses the U.S. court system and constitutional guarantees that affect courtroom procedures. Lessons cover due process, bail, plea bargaining, roles of prosecutors and defense attorneys, trials, and the juvenile justice system. The final unit focuses on the correctional system, reviewing correctional philosophies and current controversies over punishment, parole, the death penalty, and youthful offenders. For each unit, the guide provides an overview, lists objectives, and offers suggestions for student involvement and other teaching techniques. References accompany each unit. A pretest and a posttest for the entire course are supplied, as well as tests for each unit.