Unit 7
​
Criminal Justice

Unit Plan

Rights, Discrimination, and Reform

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 
Unit 7
Essential Questions
  • How do social inequalities affect the criminal justice system?
  • What reforms can address systemic injustice?

Key Topics
  • Racial disparities in arrest, sentencing, and incarceration
  • Gender, LGBTQ+, and disability discrimination
  • Police accountability movements (e.g., Black Lives Matter)
  • Legislative and policy reform proposals

Week 13: Identifying Injustice in the Criminal Justice System
Day 1: Introduction to Systemic Inequality
​Objective: Students will define systemic discrimination and identify key areas of inequality in the justice system.
Activities:
  • Mini-lecture: Overview of inequality in policing, courts, and corrections
  • Whole-class brainstorm: “Where have you seen injustice in the system?”
  • Reading (in class or homework):
Discussion Prompt:
What patterns do you notice in EJI’s case reports? Who is most affected?

Day 2: Race and the Criminal Justice SystemObjective: Analyze how racial disparities appear at each stage of the system.
Activities:
  • Case study: Wrongful conviction of Anthony Ray Hinton or similar from EJI
  • Group analysis worksheet: Break down his experience (arrest, trial, sentence, release)
  • Reading (homework): Watch Bryan Stevenson’s TED Talk
Exit Slip:
What reforms might have prevented this injustice?

Day 3: Gender and LGBTQ+ DiscriminationObjective: Examine gender-based violence, bias in sentencing, and treatment of LGBTQ+ people in prisons.
Activities:
  • Mini-lecture and case examples (e.g., disparities in domestic violence cases, placement of trans prisoners)
  • Reading: Short excerpt from ACLU LGBTQ+ Rights and Gender Justice pages
  • Group discussion:
    • How do gender and sexuality shape the experience of justice or injustice?

Day 4: Disability and the Justice SystemObjective: Understand how individuals with mental illness or disabilities are treated in the system.
Activities:
  • Watch short documentary clips or read profiles from EJI or Vera Institute
  • Partner discussion and written reflection:
    • What changes in training, facilities, or policy might help prevent discrimination?

Day 5: Gallery Walk PrepObjective: Begin preparing a visual or oral presentation on a case study of injustice.
Activities:
  • Student groups assigned or select a case study (from EJI, ACLU, etc.)
  • Begin research using curated resources
  • Project requirements shared:
    • 5-minute presentation or 1-page display
    • Must explain what happened, why it happened, and how reform might have prevented it

Week 14: Reform and ResistanceDay 6: Police Accountability and Protest MovementsObjective: Explore the history and impact of police reform movements.
Activities:
  • Readings/discussion:
    • Timeline of BLM and police accountability efforts (available from BLM, NYT, etc.)
  • Class debate:
    • “Should police departments be reformed or reimagined?”
Homework:
Draft outline for final position paper.

Day 7: Legislative and Policy ReformsObjective: Investigate real-world reform proposals at local, state, and national levels.
Activities:
  • Jigsaw activity: Students read and present on different proposals, such as:
    • Ban on no-knock warrants
    • Ending qualified immunity
    • Sentencing reform
    • Mental health diversion programs
  • Exit Ticket:
    • Which reform do you think is most realistic? Why?

Day 8: Student Gallery Walk PresentationsObjective: Share case studies and connect them to reform ideas.
Activities:
  • Gallery Walk (if physical): Stations around room with student-created posters
  • Oral Presentations (if digital or classroom-based): 5-minute group presentations
  • Peer feedback forms (guided by rubric)

Day 9: Final Position Paper – Writing WorkshopObjective: Develop a persuasive position on the most important criminal justice reform.
Activities:
  • Writing workshop: Thesis check, outlining, peer review
  • Teacher mini-conference with students for feedback
Paper Prompt:
“What criminal justice reform matters most, and why?”
Support with at least two case studies and two policy proposals.

Day 10: Final Submission and ReflectionObjective: Submit final paper and reflect on learning from the unit.
Activities:
  • Turn in position paper
  • Reflection journal prompts:
    • What did you learn that surprised you?
    • How has your thinking about justice or reform changed?

AssessmentsFormative
  • Class discussions and exit slips
  • Group research and gallery walk prep
  • Peer feedback during presentations
Summative
  • Gallery Walk / Presentation (25%): Clear explanation of injustice, use of sources, proposed reforms
  • Final Position Paper (75%): Clear thesis, use of evidence, writing mechanics, and persuasiveness

Suggested Readings & Media
​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
​IAI-Integrated Group Activities
1. AI Case Study Analysis and Presentation
Objective: Use AI to investigate and present a case of injustice involving racial, gender, LGBTQ+, or disability discrimination in the justice system.
Instructions:
  • In groups of 3–4, students use an AI chatbot or search-enabled tool (like ChatGPT with browsing or Perplexity AI) to:
    • Identify a real case (e.g., from EJI or ACLU)
    • Summarize key facts of the case: arrest, trial, sentencing, appeals
    • Ask AI to help locate reform proposals that would address the injustice
  • Students create a presentation (slide deck or printed poster) with the following sections:
    • Case overview
    • Type of discrimination and evidence
    • Applicable reform proposals
    • Group reflection: How did the system fail, and what could fix it?
Deliverable: Group presentation during the Gallery Walk

2. AI-Facilitated Legislative Reform Debate
Objective: Collaborate to research, evaluate, and defend a specific justice reform policy using AI as a tool.
Instructions:
  • Each group is assigned one reform policy (e.g., ending qualified immunity, sentencing reform)
  • Students use AI to:
    • Gather key arguments for and against the reform
    • Identify real-world examples of the policy being proposed or implemented
    • Draft a position summary with citations and bullet points
  • Hold an in-class policy debate where each group presents their reform and responds to critiques from classmates
Deliverable: One-page AI-generated policy brief and participation in debate

3. AI Timeline of Justice Reform Movements
Objective: Construct a digital or printed timeline of major movements (e.g., Civil Rights, Black Lives Matter, prison abolition) using AI for synthesis.
Instructions:
  • In groups, students prompt AI to generate a timeline of significant events tied to police or justice reform
  • Refine the AI output by fact-checking and adding images or links
  • Add commentary on how the events influenced public perception or legal change
Deliverable: Printed or digital timeline with 8–10 annotated entries

AI-Integrated Individual Activities
​1. AI Research Assistant for the Position Paper
Objective: Use AI to help plan, refine, and revise the final position paper.
Instructions:
  • Students use an AI writing assistant (such as ChatGPT) to:
    • Brainstorm topics (e.g., “What’s the most urgent criminal justice reform?”)
    • Generate thesis statement options
    • Ask for outlines or writing suggestions
    • Request help rewriting sections for clarity or persuasiveness
  • Encourage students to compare AI suggestions with their own ideas and edit thoughtfully
Deliverable: Final position paper with a one-paragraph reflection on how AI helped or challenged their thinking

2. AI-Generated Reform Proposal Critique
Objective: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of AI-generated reform ideas.
Instructions:
  • Students ask AI to generate a justice reform idea based on a case of systemic discrimination (e.g., “Create a reform to prevent wrongful convictions based on race”)
  • Then they analyze the AI’s proposal using a short critique form:
    • Is the idea realistic?
    • What evidence supports or undermines it?
    • What changes would you make?
Deliverable: One-page written critique

3. AI Reflection Journal: Discrimination and Justice
Objective: Use AI to reflect on course content, make connections, and explore identity and justice.
Instructions:
  • Students write a journal entry in response to a reflection prompt (e.g., “How has your understanding of systemic injustice changed?”)
  • Then they ask AI to respond to their entry or offer a counterpoint
  • Students write a brief response to the AI’s reply, agreeing, disagreeing, or expanding
Deliverable: Three-paragraph journal (student’s voice, AI’s reply, student’s reflection on AI)

Optional Ethical Wrap-Up DiscussionAI and Criminal Justice: Friend or Foe?
Use a whole-class Socratic seminar to ask:
  • Can AI help address discrimination in the system?
  • What are the risks of relying on algorithmic tools in policing, sentencing, or parole?
Students can prepare using AI to explore current uses of predictive policing or AI in sentencing recommendations, then debate the ethics in class.
Proudly powered by Weebly