LA 421 Special Topics in Legal Studies: Correctional Law

LA 421 IS Sec 2, University of Mississippi
[See UM Catalog for Description]

3 credit hours

Instructor Information:

Dr. Linda Keena

Instructor name:
Dr. Linda Keena

Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies
M306 Mayes Hall
ldkeena@olemiss.edu

Dr. Linda Keena is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies at the University of Mississippi. She is a former State of Missouri Adult Probation and Parole officer and for the last three decades has taught various criminal justice and law studies courses and facilitated faith-based, restorative justice, and entrepreneurship programs to maximum security prisoners, nationally and internationally. She has a record of scholarly publications which reflects a variety of restorative justice, corrections, and servant leadership topics.

Contact Information:

If you have questions concerning the content of the course, you may contact the instructor directly using the Email Your Instructor link in the Lessons or Content page. NOTE: Whenever sending email, please be sure to indicate your course title and number in the subject line. You can expect a response within 72 hours, although it may be longer on weekends. Many instructors reply within 24 hours.

For lesson or test administration issues, please contact the iStudy department:

The University of Mississippi
Division of Outreach and Continuing Education
iStudy
P. O. Box 1848
University, MS 38677

Phone: (662) 915-7313, toll-free (877) 915-7313
Fax: (662) 915-8826
E-mail: istudy@olemiss.edu

Course Description

This is a thirteen-lesson independent study course on the topic of Correctional Law. This course examines and analyzes prisoner rights, state and federal prisoner litigation, and the constitutional basis of these areas. Course assignments, quizzes, and readings are reflected with each lesson.

Textbook Information:

Textbook information will be provided upon enrollment in your iStudy course.

Course Objectives:

Objectives include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Understand the general history of the law and how the legal system in the US works
  2. Know how the different components that make-up the field of corrections and how they fit into the bigger criminal justice picture.
  3. Recognize the specific legal provisions that are most often encountered in corrections litigation and the types of legal actions that are most often used by prisoners to complain about conditions and treatment.
  4. Know the legal steps that should be anticipated and experienced by a corrections worker in a corrections lawsuit.
  5. Understand the different areas of corrections in which different provisions of the Constitution have been examined to see whether they define or limit what may be done by corrections officials.

Course Outline:

This course consists of 13 instructional modules (or lessons).

Unit

Lesson

Reading Assignments

Due for Grades

Suggested Pacing Guide
(if you want to complete the course in a traditional semester)

Start Here

*You MUST complete the syllabus quiz as soon as you have access to your Blackboard course. This is mandatory to verify your attendance.*NOTE: you must pass the Syllabus and Orientation Quiz for the course materials to appear on the Lessons page.

Syllabus Quiz

Week 1

 

0

Course Introduction/Resources

Discussion board

Week 1

Part 1

1

Legal Aspects: Chapters 1: Intro to Law & Chapter 2: Corrections and the CJ System

The Dark and Evil World:  Introduction

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 1

2

Legal Aspects: Chapter 3: Habeas, Torts, and Section 1983 & Chapter 4: Going to Court

The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 1

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week1

3

Legal Aspects: Chapter 5: General View of Prisoners' Rights

The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 2

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 2

4

Legal Aspects: Chapter 6: Access to Courts

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 2

Course Exam 1

Essay exams covers Intro, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of The Dark and Evil World textbook

To be submitted
before proceeding

 

Part 2

5

Legal Aspects: Chapter 7: Inmate Mail

The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 3

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 3

6

Legal Aspects: Chapter 8: Inmate Visiting

The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 4

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 3

7

Legal Aspects: Chapter 9: Religion

The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 5

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 4

MIDPOINT OF COURSE

If you are a semester student, you must reach the midpoint of your course by the date specified in your information.

If you are a Flex UM student, you CANNOT WITHDRAW from this course after the lesson has been submitted.

All lesson assignments or exams needed to reach the midpoint of the course

The exact date semester students are required to reach the midpoint is specified in your information.

Part 2

8

Legal Aspects: Chapter 10: Search and Seizure
The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 6

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 4

9

Legal Aspects: Chapters 11: Inmate Discipline & Chapter 12: Classification, Transfers, Personal Injuries and Property Loss
The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 7

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 5

Course Exam 2

Essay exam covers Chapters 3 - 7 of The Dark and Evil World textbook

To be submitted
before proceeding

 

Part 3

10

Legal Aspects: Chapter 13: Female Offenders and Others
The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 8

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 5

11

Legal Aspects: Chapter 14: The Death Penalty
The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 9

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 6

12

Legal Aspects: Chapter 15: Cruel and Unusual Punishment
The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 10

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 6

13

Legal Aspects: Chapter 16: Health Care
The Dark and Evil World: Chapter 11 and Epilogue

Thinking About It Exercise, Quiz

Week 7

Final Exam

Essay exam covers Chapters 8 - Epilogue of The Dark and Evil World textbook

To be submitted
to finalize credit

Week 7

Grading:

GRADING SCALE
90 - 100% = A
80 - 89% = B
70 - 79% = C
60 - 69% = D
Below 59% = F

FAILURE TO TAKE THE FINAL EXAM WILL RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE COURSE.

You must submit the lessons required to take the course exam(s). Lessons required but not submitted will receive a grade of zero. For the final exam, all coursework must be submitted and graded.