Contemporary Social Issues
Course Overview:
This course is designed to explore social issues facing young people in contemporary society. Students will examine The United States crime problem, its extent, causes, and possible solutions and punishments. Students will evaluate the reliability and credibility of sources and evidence. They will analyze the evolution of the Constitution through supreme Court Decisions. Students will learn how individual rights are relative, not absolute, and understand the difference between individual rights and the rights of others and the common good.
Text Books:
Street Law
Assessments:
1st Quarter: Pre Test, Assessments
2nd Quarter: Assessments, Post Test
First Quarter:
Topic: LAW - provides the definition of law and discusses the kinds of law that exist.
Topic: THE COURT SYSTEM - Introduces federal and state courts in the United States
Topic: CRIME IN AMERICA - overview of crime in the United States looking at the relationship between guns, alcohol, drugs and crime.
Topic: CRIMINAL LAW - introduction to the study of criminal law, categories of crimes, state and federal crimes, misdemeanors, and felonies
Topic: CRIMES AGAINST A PERSON - information on crimes against a person including homicide, kidnapping, assault, battery, and robbery.
Topic: CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY - Focuses on crimes in which property is destroyed, taken against the owners will, and cyber crimes.
Topic: DEFENSES - Overview of the defenses available to people accused of crimes.
Second Quarter:
Topic: CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS: THE INVESTIGATION - deals with the investigation phase of the process, including how the U.S Constitution limits what police can do.
Topic: CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS: PROCEEDINGS BEFORE TRIAL - Deals with the pretrial actions that MUST take place before a trial can begin
Topic: THE TRIAL - The idea of Due Process of Law, and the overall right to a fair trial.
Topic: SENTENCING AND CORRECTION - The final phase of the criminal justice process looking at the sentencing process and the correctional system,
Topic: JUVENILE JUSTICE - Looks at the operation of the juvenile justice system, describing each step in the process as offenders move through the juvenile court.
Topic: TORTS: CIVIL LAW - deals with tort law and identifies parties in a lawsuit.
Topic: INTENTIONAL TORTS - deals with the two types of intentional torts, actions taken to deliberately harm another person and actions taken to harm property.
Topic: NEGLIGENCE - Explore the legal elements of Negligence
Topic: STRICT LIABILITY - Explains torts that are held to a higher standard due to dangerous activity.
Topic: CONTRACTS - examine contracts and their elements. Illegal contracts are also discussed.
