SOC* 274 - Society, Family and the Law

Credit(s): 3
The goal of this introductory course is to provide a framework for thinking about legal and public policy issues affecting families and juveniles. Topics covered will include the meaning of family and how the law looks at different kinds of families, federal and state laws governing marriage, co-habitation, child custody, alimony, the rights of children and their parents in the school setting, the juvenile justice system, and the right of the state to intervene in the family to protect children. Emphasis will be on law as it is constantly evolving in relation to wider political and social trends. There will be guest speakers, such as attorneys who work with juveniles in the court setting, and social workers involved in child abuse cases.
Formerly listed as SOC 274, not open to students who have successfully completed SOC 274.