Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professor Deborah Golden

J.D. Practicum 1181 | 5 credit hours

This course will introduce students to the prison reform field. Materials will cover substantive law, policy, and practical advocacy skills. Substantive law will comprise the major statues, regulations, and case law governing the U.S. carceral system. The policy units will cover issues such as privatization and approaches to sexual assault. Finally, the course will touch on practical skills such as interviewing techniques, media relations, and self care. Practicum placements will be at various non-profits and agencies that deal with prison reform issues. Depending on the agency and its needs, work will include litigation, individual advocacy, policy development, or legislative advocacy.

Students may not receive credit for this class and De-Criminalizing Mental Illness or Mass Incarceration and Solitary Confinement, or Prison Law, Policy and Advocacy Seminar. Students may not concurrently enroll in this practicum and an externship or a clinic (except Street Law) or another practicum course. Students who wish to receive credit for the Externship Seminar and a practicum course that has the same field placement may do so only if: (1) the practicum course is taken in a semester following the Externship Seminar; and (2) the student receives permission from the Assistant or the Associate Dean for Clinical Programs. To receive such permission, the student must explain in writing how the practicum course field work would serve substantially different learning goals than did their externship field placement.

THIS IS A PRACTICUM COURSE.

This is a 5 credit course. 2 credits will be awarded for the 2-hour weekly seminar and 3 credits for approximately 15 hours of supervised work per week, for a minimum of 11 weeks, to be scheduled with the faculty. The supervised work must be completed during normal business hours. The seminar portion will be graded. The 3 credits of supervised work is mandatory pass/fail and counts toward the 7 credit pass/fail limit. Students will be allowed to take another course pass/fail in the same semester as the supervised work.

Students who enroll in this course will be automatically enrolled in both the seminar and practicum components and may not take either component separately. A student wishing to withdraw from the course will be withdrawn from both the seminar and field work components.