Topics in Social and Political Philosophy (361-0-20)
Topic
The Philosophy of Punishment & Incarceration
Instructors
Jennifer Amy Lackey
847/491-2557
Kresge 3-423
Meeting Info
Meets in Non-General PurposeRm: Fri 10:30AM - 1:15PM
Overview of class
The United States is currently home to 5% of the world's population, but 25% of its incarcerated population. With more than 2.3 million people under the control of the American criminal legal system, the United States has more total people who are incarcerated than any other country in the world. Moreover, the United States has one of the most punitive approaches to criminal justice, imposing lengthy prison sentences, forcing people who are incarcerated to spend years—sometimes even decades—in solitary confinement, and providing very few educational, vocational, and recreational programs in prisons. Punishment and incarceration also disproportionately impact people of color. Black Americans are incarcerated at more than 5 times the rate of whites. While Black Americans and Hispanics make up about 32% of the US population, they constitute 56% of the incarcerated population. This course will use a philosophical lens to examine the causes and consequences of this crisis of mass incarceration in the United States, along with possible solutions to it, with a particular emphasis on the theories of punishment grounding our criminal legal system and, thus, our prisons. The course will have a seminar-style format and will be held at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, IL.
Registration Requirements
Registration is by instructor consent. Here is a message from Professor Jennifer Lackey on how to apply for permission:
Thank you for your interest in PHIL 361/HUM 370-5, The Philosophy of Punishment and Incarceration! To apply for the course, please send me (j-lackey@northwestern.edu), in no more than 500 words each, responses to the following two questions: What do you think you would contribute to a class of this kind? What do you think you would gain from a class of this kind?
Learning Objectives
To understand competing theories of punishment and to assess whether any support the criminal legal system in the United States. To evaluate the causes and consequences of the crisis of mass incarceration in the United States. To be able to identify the connections between incarceration, race, and poverty. To collaborate with other students in the course and to combine scholarship on punishment and incarceration with the firsthand experience that NPEP students have with these phenomena. To develop solutions to the crisis of mass incarceration, both theoretical and practical.
Evaluation Method
The final grade for the course will be determined in the following way: Two paper outlines, worth 10% of the final grade. Group project, worth 10% of the final grade. One 5-6 page, double-spaced paper, worth 25% of the final grade. One 6-7 page, double-spaced paper, worth 30% of the final grade.
Class Materials (Required)
All class materials will be available on Canvas at NO cost to the student
Class Notes
Registration for this class is by instructor consent. Here is a message from Professor Jennifer Lackey on how to apply for permission: Thank you for your interest in PHIL 361/HUM 370-5, The Philosophy of Punishment and Incarceration! To apply for the course, please send me (j-lackey@northwestern.edu), in no more than 500 words each, responses to the following two questions: What do you think you would contribute to a class of this kind? What do you think you would gain from a class of this kind? ______ Notes on Class Course Work: Students are required to write reading reports of each class period's reading assignments, which should have three distinct components and should be no more than 1½ pages total per class: (1) a summary of the current class's readings (which will typically include one or two readings), (2) a critique of, or reflection on, the arguments/ideas, and (3) an engagement with the view(s) found in the reading report of one or more of your group members from the previous week (discussed further below). These reports should be submitted the day the reading is due and will be graded on a 4-point scale, with 4 as excellent, 3 as good, 2 as adequate, 1 as deficient (or late), and N/C as not deserving of credit. Students may drop their three lowest reading report grades. With respect to (3), students will be placed in small groups and each week the reading reports of the students in each group will be scanned and shared with the other members of that group. Students are asked to engage with the thoughts of other group members from one week to the next, even individually (with the exception of Week 1 in which students will not yet have received responses from other group members). For instance, if Student A has an interesting reflection on a reading from Week 2, Student B can comment on this at the top of their Week 3 report before providing a summary and critique of Week 3's readings. Students should also feel free to write responses to individual group members that can be submitted independently of the reading reports. Mid-quarter, I will rearrange the make-up of each group so that students can get to know other students in the course. In addition to the reading reports, students are required to complete two paper outlines, two papers, and one group project during the quarter. Details will be provided closer to the deadlines for these assignments. Class Leaders: Each week, I will ask students to be class leaders with respect to the required readings. Since there are one or two required readings each meeting, there will be one or two class leaders. This will involve providing a brief summary of the article and having a couple of prepared questions to generate and/or facilitate discussion.