Teaching

Based on the work done by Justice Codes, we were invited to create a novel course at the Georgetown Law Center in Washington D.C. entitled Criminal Justice Technology, Policy and Law. It is a joint effort between Keith Porcaro, a fellow at the Harvard Berkman Klein Center, and Jason Tashea of Justice Codes.

The course, structured like a lab, explores the impact of technology on the criminal justice system and teaches students how affect criminal justice processes and policy through technology and process improvement. 

The students are paired with system stakeholders to tackle specific problems through interviews, research, and systems mapping. We have worked with the Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention to create a sequential intercept model so they could understand the impact of a recent reform package, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to improve diversion and traffic court systems to better public experience with the office, and the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to map their statewide monitoring process and help the small agency better protect the rights of the indigent.

The course culminates with a presentation to experts from various industries and government functions where students present their findings and recommendations for a more just system. Focusing on non-technical skills allows students of any background to wrap their legal education around technology and criminal justice issues.