NCJ Number
42156
Date Published
1975
Length
371 pages
Annotation
THIS MANUAL HELPS TEACHERS UNFAMILIAR WITH LEGAL PRINCIPLES IN THE STREET LAW COURSE TAUGHT IN WASHINGTON, D.C., SCHOOLS.
Abstract
IT HAS SINCE EXPANDED TO A FULL YEAR COURSE IN ALL 16 CITY HIGH SCHOOLS AND SEVEN D.C. PRISONS AND JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS. STREET LAW'S CHIEF PURPOSE IS TO GIVE THOSE WHO STUDY IT SOME KNOWLEDGE OF LAW THAT CAN BE OF PRACTICAL USE TO THEM IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES (ON THE STREET). THE NATIONAL STREET LAW TEXT (NCJ-42155) IS A REVISED AND EXPANDED VERSION OF THE CURRICULUM FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHICH WAS FIRST PUBLISHED AS A SEPARATE TEXTBOOK IN 1974. AN INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER SETS OUT THE NATURE AND AND ORIGINS OF LAW DISTINGUISHING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE WITHIN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND DEVELOPING A CONCEPTUAL FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR STUDENTS WITHIN WHICH SUBSEQUENT LEGAL PRINCIPLES MIGHT BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD. CHAPTERS ON CRIMINAL, CONSUMER, FAMILY, HOUSING, INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW NOT ONLY OFFER AN OVERVIEW OF THESE FIELDS OF LAW, BUT ALSO PROVIDE A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE ON MANY OF THE LEGAL PROBLEMS WHICH EVERYONE FACES IN DAILY LIFE. THE COURSE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO INCLUDE EXTENSIVE IN-CLASS STUDENT INVOLVEMENT INCLUDING ROLEPLAYING, MOCK TRIALS, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING AS WELL AS FIELD TRIPS, GUEST SPEAKERS, COMMUNITY LEGAL PROJECTS, A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER COMPILED BY THE STUDENTS, AND A CITY-WIDE MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION AT WHICH LOCAL AND FEDERAL COURT JUDGES PRESIDE. THIS TEACHERS' MANUAL HAS BEEN PREPARED TO ASSIST CLASSROOM TEACHERS WITHOUT FORMAL LEGAL TRAINING IN TEACHING 'STREET LAW.' THE CHAPTER SEQUENCE OF THE MANUAL, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THAT OF THE STUDENT TEXT, CONTAINS EXTENSIVE MATERIALS FROM WHICH THE TEACHER WILL BE ABLE TO CLARIFY MANY LEGAL QUESTIONS AS THEY ARISE. IN ADDITION, THE MANUAL PROVIDES NUMEROUS ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES. EACH CHAPTER IS ORGANIZED UNDER SIX HEADINGS: 1) INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES, 2) ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTED TEACHING TECHNIQUES, 3) MOCK TRIALS, 4) AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS, 5) BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND 6) CHAPTER TEST. FOR DOCUMENTATION ON THE STREET LAW COURSE IN THE LAW OF CORRECTIONS, SEE NCJ-42153 AND 42154. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...ELW