Introduction to the American Legal Systems

Learn about the history, structure, and organization of the United States’ civil, criminal, and juvenile legal systems.

Introduction to Criminal Law & Criminal Procedures

Examine the history, theory, and practice of criminal law. Learn how it is intertwined with how a law is enacted, legislative responsibilities, statutory offenses, and their application to the criminal justice system.

Introduction to Civil Law

Stand up for your rights! What does the Constitution say about discrimination? How has civil rights evolved in the course of our country’s history? How has the government violated the constitutional protections of individual liberties? Are suspected terrorists being afforded the same protection as U.S. citizens? Should they be?

Criminology

An examination of crime as social phenomena with particular attention to its causes and to the methods society has developed to control behavior. The course will address the nature and distribution of crime in America, offender and victim profiles, and appropriate criminological research methodologies. The major biological, psychological, and social theoretical explanations for criminal behavior will be considered in detail.

Introduction to Human Services

The course examines the historical, social and political forces that have led to the development of both governmental and non-profit human services systems in contemporary America. The organization and operation of the primary social supports for meeting human service needs; the various models for the delivery of those services; theoretical perspectives; target populations, and the characteristics and skills of a human service professional will be examined in detail. Ethical considerations and diversity issues will be addressed.

Face-to-Face with the Law

Interact with lawyers, district attorneys, judges, federal agents and other criminal justice professionals. Learn about their varied careers and how they got to where they are today. Is this the career path for you?

Hot Topics

Debate the most interesting and controversial legal issues facing the criminal justice system in 2009. Learn to argue both sides of an issue like you’ve never argued before! Get a sense of what it’s like to be in law school and in front of a jury and judge. Your voice will be heard and your presentation skills honed as you master your communications and reasoning skills.  Hot Topics to be covered will include terrorism/counterterrorism, civil liberties, and the use of DNA evidence to overturn convictions, racial and psychological profiling, the death penalty, discrimination and hate crimes, protecting the environment, euthanasia and defending the elderly.

A Day in the Field

Experience the practice of law firsthand. Visits have been made to court rooms to watch a live trial, correctional facilities, police precincts, firing ranges, forensics labs, and a mayor’s office.  Each year we repeat the best visits and introduce new ones. All are relevant to the study of law. (See “New York City Experience,” below.)

New York City Experience

See New York City from a perspective that your average tourist and even native New Yorker rarely sees.  Our tour guide was a high school history teacher for most of her career and is now an adjunct professor at Monroe College.  She is also the co-author of It Happened in New York City: Thirty Remarkable Events That Shaped History and co-founder of a most unique walking tour company (pack comfortable shoes!)

Mock Trial

Put all your knowledge and skills to the test when you participate in the Mock Trial experience. Play the part of prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, juror, or defendant.  During the two-week period, you’ll practice and prepare so that you are ready for the final Mock Trial presentation.

Banquets and breakfast panels, plus informal opportunities for recreation & fitness, are built right into our schedule.  We’ll make sure you have great food, good company, and time to “recharge your batteries.”