ADCJ 2003 Faith, Justice & the Criminal Justice System

Every day, professionals within the criminal justice system (police officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, judges, etc.), are tasked with one responsibilityseek justice. What does that mean? How do we define justice? This course will explore the notion of justice and its role within the criminal justice system, using the Catholic, Christian faith tradition as a compass. The course will look at the interplay between the virtues of wisdom, charity, courage, and prudence, along with the themes of mercy, accountability, solidarity, and community in an effort to understand the virtue of justice within criminal law. Specific criminal justice issues, such as criminal justice reform, police brutality, victim rights, the War on Drugs, mass incarceration, the 8th Amendment and cruel and unusual punishment, opioid crisis, and gun violence, will be used as a backdrop to delve into each theme.