Learning Resources

Required Readings

Hemmens, C., Brody, D. C., & Spohn, C. (2017). Criminal courts: A contemporary perspective (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

• Chapter 9, “Criminal Defendants and Crime Victims” (pp. 251–278)

Hemmens, C., Brody, D. C., & Spohn, C. (2016). Criminal Courts: A Contemporary Perspective. Copyright 2016 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc., via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Hemmens, C., Brody, D. C., & Spohn, C. (2017). Criminal courts: A contemporary perspective (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

• Chapter 10, “The Jury” (pp. 279–306)

Hemmens, C., Brody, D. C., & Spohn, C. (2016). Criminal Courts: A Contemporary Perspective. Copyright 2016 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc., via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Austen, B. (2018, November 4). On the inside. New York Times Magazine, 42–47, 64–65.

---

Assignment: Choosing a Career in the Judicial System

Lawyers make money—or so says one common opinion in society. While the law may offer a high earning potential, there are other reasons to practice law (and less lucrative areas of it). Consider that another word for lawyer is advocate, and to advocate means to represent and work for the interests of another. Whether that means advocating for the collective good of citizens (i.e., the government) or to ensure that every person in the judicial system receives representation (i.e., the defense), working in the judicial system in numerous areas can be a vocation, motivated by a desire to serve the public.

In this Assignment, you imagine that you have been called to deliver a presentation at a nearby law school in which you discuss the standards, ethics, and merits of a career in the judicial system.

To upload your video presentation for this Assignment, use the Kaltura Media option from the mashup tool drop-down menu. Refer to the Kaltura Media Uploader area in the course navigation menu for more information about how to upload media to the course.

By Day 7

Submit a Kaltura video of delivering a presentation that follows the guidelines below. Your video should be no longer than 5 minutes.

You have been called to deliver a presentation at a nearby law school. Your goal is to enlist new law students into working within the district attorney’s office or as public defenders after graduation. Your presentation must address the following:

• How can each position—district attorney or defense attorney—be viewed as more than just a job or a stepping stone?
• How is each position valuable to the community?
• Why and how is each position necessary?
• What makes each position effective?
• What makes each position different?
• What are the positive and negative aspects of each position?
• How does each position depend on each other for the system to function? How do they work together despite the adversarial relationship?

Follow these tips for delivering a professional presentation:

• Dress professionally and conduct yourself as if you are in a professional setting with peers and supervisors.
• Be sure to maintain eye contact as if you were speaking in front of your audience.
• Finally, be sure to record yourself in a room that is quiet and where no one interrupts you.

Submission and Grading Information