Course Description: JUS 222 - Drugs and Justice
In ASU Online’s JUS 222 course, Drugs and Justice, you’ll learn how drugs are handled in the criminal justice system and hear from professionals surrounding drug use, crime and prevention.
By interrogating the social, legal and political impact of drug use within contemporary American life, you’ll gain an appreciation for the complexity associated with drug use and abuse and be able to advocate for societal change in the future.
Your Instructor: Dr. Gregory Broberg
As part of the School of Social Transformation faculty, Broberg’s research interests surround issues of youth, education and justice. Prior to becoming a teacher, Broberg worked in various capacities in the juvenile court, including as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.
Today, Broberg spends a significant amount of his time looking at legal structures that create inequality. A critical aspect of this work surrounds drug-related activities and their implications.
How you’ll learn
In this course, you’ll learn two ways of looking at drug-taking behavior in U.S. society: legal and illegal. You’ll engage in this study through a combination of mini-lectures, video presentations by experts and focused readings. This course utilizes a variety of data sources to help you appreciate the depth of drug-related problems, along with discussion boards to gain perspectives from your colleagues. This course also features short quizzes that test your comprehension of key concepts.
More importantly, this course includes applied exercises, allowing you to see the tools used by experts to identify and recommend interventions for those suffering from addiction.
What makes the course special
Drugs have a profound impact on our daily lives. Much of this course focuses on personal reflection and critical thinking associated with drug use, abuse and prevention. The goal of the course is to become knowledgeable in different drug-related issues, preparing you to work in a variety of fields, including health care, social work and law.
What you’ll get out of JUS 222
This course features structured activities that allow you to think critically about key issues related to drugs in everyday life, including:
- Media noise: Explore the ways media plays a role in how drugs shape the U.S. society.
- Numbers talk: Charts, graph, and data visualizations provide you with the opportunity to understand the latest issues in drug usage and abuse in the U.S.
- What would you do: These scenarios allow you to consider and discuss the decision-making processes of policymakers and practitioners.