This course introduces students to the history and background of American corrections and the fundamental theories of punishment and treatment. Emphasis will be placed on correctional law, policies, practices, issues, and controversies within the correctional system. The incarceration of various criminal populations in jails and prisons, alternatives to incarceration (e.g., probation and parole), capital punishment, and the public policy issues surrounding the expansion of community-based corrections will also be discussed.
