Exam Prep Tips for Justice Course

Exam Preparation Tips

• Review case law holdings, understanding key cases and their significance.
• Identify themes across various topics and connect different course materials.
• Review student presentations.
• Consider insights and perspectives from "Just Pursuit" and other course readings.
• Be prepared to discuss systemic biases, ethical considerations in justice, and potential system improvements.

Recommended Resources

• Review "Just Pursuit" chapters, particularly chapters 8-13.
• Look at the Washington Post article on the.

Case Law to Review

• Furman v. Georgia (1972)

Capital Punishment Case Studies

• Robert Roberson: Wrongfully convicted based on "junk science" (shaken baby syndrome).
• Carlos DeLuna: Executed despite strong evidence suggesting innocence.
• Marcellus Williams: Case involving racial bias and due process issues.

Key Themes to Understand

Example: the "Shaken Baby Syndrome" case of Robert Roberson discussed in a panel on October 21st.

• Criminal Justice System Complexities: Intersectionality (intersecting issues of race, gender, and class), racial disparities, socio-economic influences, and systemic biases.

Criminal Justice System Complexities

• Intersectionality: The interconnected nature of social categorizations, such as race, gender, and class, creating overlapping systems of discrimination or disadvantage.
• Racial Disparities: Differences in outcomes or opportunities between racial groups, caused by historical, structural, or systemic inequalities.
• Socio-Economic Influences: The impact of an individual's economic and social position, affecting access to resources, opportunities, and life outcomes.
• Systemic Biases: Prejudices embedded within laws, policies, and institutional practices that disadvantage specific groups.
• Metaracism: Subtle and systemic forms of racial prejudice, often perpetuated unconsciously or through institutional mechanisms, within larger societal structures.

Death Penalty (Capital Punishment) Case Studies

• Carlos DeLuna: Executed on December 7, 1989, despite maintaining innocence, and claimed another man committed the crime.

• Marcellus Williams: Convicted of killing Felicia Gayle in 1998.

• Anthony Ray Hinton: Details regarding this case are not provided.

Key Case Law

• Gregg v Georgia (1976)
• Roper v. Simmons (2005)
• Atkins v. Virginia (2002)

Important Statistics and Insights

• 25 states have the death penalty.
• Average time on death row: 22.4 years.
• Approximately 1 in 9 people on death row are innocent.
• 154-200 death row inmates have been exonerated.

Arguments Against Death Penalty

• Concerns about innocence.
• Racial and socio-economic disparities.
• High costs of the death penalty compared to life imprisonment.
• Potential for executing innocent people.
• Ethical and moral considerations.

Historical Context

• Modern death penalty era began in 1976 (Gregg v. Georgia).
• 25 states currently have the death penalty, but some maintain moratoriums.

2nd Amendment

• Key Perspectives: (Purposes of the Second Amendment, gun control debate, balancing public safety with individual rights, key case law examples, etc.)
• Case Studies: NY State Rifle & Pistol Assoc. v. Bruen (2022) extends self-defense beyond the home; US v Rahimi (2024) addresses domestic violence and firearms restrictions.

8th Amendment

• Constitutional Text: "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."
• Key Interpretative Principles: Core constitutional protections, limits on government's punitive powers, proportionality in legal consequences, protection of individual dignity.
• Landmark Cases and Interpretations: Trop v. Dulles (1958).
• Capital Punishment Cases: Case law highlights.

Broader Justice System Insights

• Issues with bail systems, plea deals, and racial disparities in various aspects of the justice system.

Trials, Sentencing, and Other Considerations

• School-to-prison pipeline
• Recidivism
• Psychological impacts of incarceration

Just Pursuit Chapters need to know: Chapter 12: Grand Jury vs. Appellate Jury. Evidence hierarchy: from reasonable suspicion to beyond reasonable doubt. Chapter 13: Role of privilege in charging decisions. Racial bias in police and legal systems. Economic disparities in bail and plea deals. Chapter 13: "Chew" - On the Role of Privilege in Charging Decisions Setting: Laura interacts with law enforcement in an unprofessional environment, highlighting power dynamics. Theme: Privilege significantly impacts prosecutorial decisions and reinforces systemic bias. Key Scene: A police officer’s casual disrespect exemplifies the imbalance between prosecutors and defendants. Analysis: Privilege affects outcomes in the justice system, often perpetuating inequality. Chapter 14: "I Just Don’t Believe in It!" - The Tension Between Illegal and Wrong Conflict: A prosecutor refuses to handle a statutory rape case due to personal moral objections. Case Details: The case involves a 20-year-old man with intellectual disabilities and a 13-year-old girl who lied about her age. Themes: Legal vs. moral obligations; prosecutorial dilemmas in nuanced cases. Conclusion: Highlights challenges in enforcing laws that conflict with individual beliefs about fairness. Chapter 15: "Chess Pie" - A Prosecutor Embraced Outside the Courtroom Context: Laura travels to Mississippi to monitor voting rights compliance. Historical Reflection: The journey evokes memories of racial violence in the South. Personal Experience: She confronts her vulnerability as a Black woman in a historically hostile environment. Theme: Balancing professional responsibilities with personal safety and identity. Chapter 16: "It Didn’t Have to Happen to Me" - The Impact of Secondary Trauma on Prosecutors Personal Impact: Laura reflects on the emotional toll of witnessing others’ suffering. Empathy vs. Professionalism: Struggles to maintain detachment while empathizing deeply with victims. Themes: Justice system limitations in addressing trauma; conflicts between idealism and reality. Conclusion: Secondary trauma affects both prosecutors’ mental health and their perception of justice. Chapter 17: "Look at Me! Look at Me!" - A System That Ignores Humanity Courtroom Scene: A young defendant receives a harsh sentence, prompting emotional reactions from his family. Themes: Dehumanization within the justice system and its ripple effects on families. Reflection: Laura questions the ethical limits of a system focused on punishment rather than empathy. Conclusion: Systemic Reflection and Call for Reform Justice as Ecosystem: The system involves interconnected roles influenced by systemic inequities. Themes: Racial bias, systemic flaws, and the need for holistic reform.