Current Challenges in Criminal Law: An overview

These materials are intended to provide students an opportunity to reflect on the course material by setting it in the context of ongoing challenges in criminal law. Designed as a companion to the Ball/Oberman Criminal Law Casebook, they are keyed to the weekly materials in a first-year criminal law class. Discussion materials typcially feature a podcast, a video clip, or an article, essay or short news item. In reviewing and preparing for class discussion, students are encouraged to consider the following questions:

1. What are the points of intersection that you see between the material covered in our Criminal Law Casebook and the issue or problem we’re discussing?

2. What role does the law play in relation to this issue? How does it contribute to the problem? How might it be relevant to remedying the problem?

The beauty of the open casebook system is that we will continue to edit and revise the materials as we use them this semester. We want to hear from you about what we missed, what isn't working for you, etc. We view this book as a communal project, permitting collaboration with colleagues from around the globe. If you would like more information about the casebook or the project, please contact David Ball or Michelle Oberman.