Apart from their assigned mod courses, 1L students may only enroll in courses offered as 1L electives. A complete list of these courses can be found on the 1L Elective Listings page. 1L students must use the 1L class number listed on the course description when enrolling.
231.32 sec. 001 - The Empirical Analysis of Crime and the Criminal Legal System (Spring 2026)
Instructor: Ryan Sakoda (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only)
View all teaching evaluations for this course - degree students only
Units: 2
Grading Designation: Graded
Mode of Instruction: In-Person
Meeting:
Tu 6:25 PM - 8:15 PM
Location: Law 134
From January 13, 2026
To April 21, 2026
Course End: April 21, 2026
Class Number: 34194
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 19
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 30
As of: 02/19 01:52 AM
During the past several decades, criminal legal system reform has become one of the nation’s most important social justice issues. At the same time, increasing availability of large administrative datasets has given social scientists the opportunity to produce empirical research that improves our understanding of the causes and consequences of various aspects of the criminal legal system.
In this course, students will read a selection of cases and social science articles that incorporate empirical analysis of the criminal legal system. The course will cover topics spanning the entire breadth of the criminal legal process, including policing, prosecution, sentencing, incarceration, probation, post-incarceration outcomes, and more. In addition, this course will provide students with the basic skills necessary to engage in quantitative reasoning and to become informed and critical consumers of quantitative evidence.
This course does not require any background in mathematics, economics, or statistics.
|
Requirements Satisfaction:
Units from this class count towards the J.D. Race and Law Requirement. |
Exam Notes: (None) Series of papers or assignments throughout the semester
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Course Category: Criminal Law
This course is listed in the following sub-categories:
Race and Law
Social Justice and Public Interest
If you are the instructor or their FSU, you may add a file like a syllabus or a first assignment to this page.
Readers:
No reader.
Books:
Instructor has indicated that no books will be assigned.