The main objective of this course is to provide you with an
interdisciplinary understanding of law, crime, and justice in
transitional Russia. We begin the semester by examining how the
executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government are
being influenced by and influencing the forces of transition. This
includes discussions of the continuing dominance of the Russian
presidency, the legislative battle over the welfare system, and the
creation of the new Russian Criminal Procedure Code. We then move on
to examining crime in Russia, including ties between the political
and criminal elite, patterns and causes of interpersonal violence,
violence against women, human trafficking, and drug use. The last
section of the course focuses on the Russian criminal justice
system, including juvenile justice, policing, the condition of
Russian prisons, and tensions between public health and criminal
justice actors in the context of the AIDS epidemic in the country.

Class meeting:  Tuesday, 5:45-8:15

Instructor:  Professor William Alex Pridemore, crinal justice
department