For this Discussion, you will examine the issues of both capital punishment and gun control in the United States. The Instructor will split the class into two groups.


debate capital punishment.

Explain whether the perception of the death penalty is changing. Support your argument.

Learning Resources
Required Readings
Jones M., & Johnstone, P. (2011). History of Criminal Justice. (5th ed.) New York, NY. Routledge.

Chapter 14, "Criminal Justice and Terrorism:  The Era of Homeland Security"
Reiman, J., & Leighton, P. (2017). The rich get richer and the poor get prison: Ideology, class, and criminal justice (11th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Chapter 2, "A Crime by Any Other Name …" (pp. 64-112)
Chapter 3, "… And the Poor Get Prison" (pp. 113-164)
Discussion: Social Control
The U.S. criminal justice system has been forced to deal with increased demands for less governmental social control and an inability to continue to finance the punishments enacted over the last 40 years. The interesting criminal justice paradox is that conservatives who argue for less governmental oversight of the private sector seek greater levels of control for those who they deem have violated the social trust and committed any one of the eight index offenses. Liberals argue for the reverse. Perhaps no other issues strike more emotion than the implementation of the death penalty and gun control.