Curated OER
It's All About Justice
Students examine a specific environmental concern to their local community. In groups, they explore how the justice system would deal with the problem by participating in a treasure hunt. They review the meaning of federal and state...
Curated OER
Voters and Judges
Students analyze the work on independent judiciaries. In this federal courts lesson, students listen to their instructor lecture on details of federal cases. Students respond to discussion questions and participate in an activity...
Curated OER
The Row Behind Death Row
Students investigate several controversial issues in the criminal justice system relating to death row and give oral reports explaining how their issues safeguard or contaminate the issue of fairness in capital punishment. They offer...
Curated OER
Indiana Courts: How Do They Work?
Students identify the branches of Indiana's judicial system and determine the differences between the different courts and different types of cases. Students create a flow chart showing how a court case works its way through the legal...
Judicial Learning Center
The Judge and the Jury
Unless you are a lawyer, you might not understand just how unrealistic Law and Order and other legal dramas actually are. Here's a great resource to help scholars of criminology gain a more realistic perspective. The lesson outlines the...
Judicial Learning Center
State Courts vs. Federal Courts
Popular culture often portrays the Feds as the most fearsome of law enforcement agencies. Yet, someone charged with a crime is considerably more likely to end up in a state court. The lesson, one of six covering the Organization of the...
Judicial Learning Center
Why Study Landmark Cases?
Why study landmark Supreme court cases? A helpful lesson offers a brief but valuable argument for the importance of these cases in the field of criminology. It introduces scholars to some key terms necessary for studying court cases and...
PBS
Analyzing Stop and Frisk Through Personal Stories and Infographics
How much can you learn about an important topic from a single image? High schoolers analyze an infographic that represents the number of stops performed during the Stop and Frisk police procedure. After building background information...
BBC
Crime: Justice
Are the juvenile courts fair? Learners read a bit from the classic Oliver Twist to consider how young people are treated and represented when they've been accused of a crime. They read a case study from their books, discuss children's...
Curated OER
Moot Court Preparation
Twelfth graders prepare themselves for a mock moot court. In groups, they are presented with an overview of each activity and research appellate cases related to the topic given to them. They identify regions of the country that have...
Curated OER
You and the Judicial System
Students explore how the structure of the state and federal judicial systems affect them. They select an appropriate media and create a presentation on the structure of the judicial system, the criminal judicial system and a guide to the...
Curated OER
Minority Teenage Fathers: Rights and Responsibilities
Students examine current laws and use problem solving activities designed to develop in students the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate situations they may/ be confronted with as potential teen-aged fathers.
Curated OER
the International Criminal Court's History And Uses
Students analyze and come to explain the history behind the formation of the International Criminal Court, along with the recent controversy facing the Court; and current crises that warrant the Court's attention.
Curated OER
Supreme Court Confirmation Process
Students examine the Supreme Court and the confirmation process. They simulate a confirmation hearing with students role-playing as nominees and others as members of the Judiciary Committee. Students compose short essays outlining the...
Teaching Tolerance
Jim Crow as a Form of Racialized Social Control
Just because slavery was illegal doesn't mean it went away ... Jim Crow Laws took its place. An eye-opening lesson focuses on how Jim Crow Laws were used as a form of racial social control against African Americans in the United States....
Curated OER
Teens on Trial
Students read about the public reaction to the conviction of Alex and Derek King, and explore the issue of child offenders being tried and sentenced as adults. They compose letters to Florida Governor Jeb Bush, outlining their opinion on...
Curated OER
Children's Accountability for Their Crimes
Students participate in a round-table discussion about the juvenile justice system and investigate the 'age of accountability' debate. They write a persuasive essay supporting or refuting the punishment received by the children discussed...
Curated OER
Symbolic Speech
Ninth graders consider the right of freedom of speech as it is outlined in the U.S. Constitution. They receive background information for the US Supreme Court, the Bill of Rights, and free speech. They discuss a series of actual cases...
Curated OER
Role Playing Free Speech
Pupils conduct research into looking at a free-speech issue. They role play the events surrounding a court case. The lesson includes guiding questions to help create context and determine areas of further study. The presentation includes...
Curated OER
Teachers: Citizenship: Criminal Justice System
High schoolers, in groups, study Asbos and their conditions. After watching a 10-minute video, they answer questions in the Asbo hotseat. Also, they develop arguments that are not necessarily their own.
Curated OER
Executing Justice
Young scholars explore the reasons for postponing the execution of Timothy McVeigh, assess key legal definitions in relation to the case, and formulate personal responses.
Deliberating in a Democracy
Crime and Punishment
Should the United States ban the death penalty? Scholars use real-life examples of criminal activity to come to their own conclusions on the death penalty. Primary source documents, as well as video clips, open the issue of capital...
Utah State Courts
Judges in the Classroom
Class members explore the process of a disposition hearing for juveniles, particularly looking at how the judge decides what sentence the juvenile offender should receive. Task your pupils with evaluating different sample cases provided...
Curated OER
Criminal Law -- Miranda
Students examine the law and the Miranda rights. They role play members of law enforcement and ones being arrested.