HoNR 399 - Wrongful Convictions

Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours: 0

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 100 or the equivalent

Restriction(s): Restricted to students who are in the Honors Program or eligible for the Honors program with a GPA of 3.3

Corequisite(s): None

Modern criminal cases are scrutinized more closely than ever before, with media attention given to high profile criminal cases, errors in the Criminal Justice system, and advancements in forensic science. This course will review the causes of wrongful convictions, how individuals can work to remedy the injustices that occur because of these cases, and ways to prevent future wrongful convictions. Cases involving wrongful convictions, as well as reasons the Criminal Justice system does not always result in justice for the innocent, will be examined. Topics include DNA, forensic science errors, false confessions, false eyewitness identifications, incompetent lawyers, malicious prosecutions, police misconduct, legal hurdles for defendants, and remedies available for individuals falsely convicted of crimes.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Course:

Identify the reasons defendants are wrongfully convicted in the U.S.
Analyze criminal situations and research data to assist in comprehending the scope of the wrongful convictions in the U.S. Sources for assessment may include assignments, case studies, and/or research projects.
Develop and present legal arguments to help exonerate the wrongfully convicted in specific case studies.
Analyze the role different individuals play in creating injustice, and develop plans that will assist in preventing such legal and factual errors in future cases.
Apply critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills by finding data pertaining to wrongful convictions in the U.S. and other countries, synthesizing that information, and incorporating it into case studies, assignments and/or writing projects.