Based upon your readings, discussions, and papers for this course, provide your own analyses of the significance of the U.S. Supreme Court and its effects on the criminal justice system. Explain whether or not the functions and focus of the U.S. Supreme Court provide a “best practices” approach to criminal law in the United States. What could be done to improve current Supreme Court practices? It is recommended that your post contain approximately 400 words. 

Required Resource

Article

Hashimoto, E. (2012). Abandoning misdemeanor defendants.Federal Sentencing Reporter, 25(2), 103-105. https://doi.org/10.1525/fsr.2012.25.2.103

• The full-text version of this article is available in the ProQuest database in the University of Arizona Global Campus Library. This source is a report listing the serious lack of legal representation for misdemeanor defendants in the United States.

Recommended Resources

Article

Fradella, H. F., Morrow, W. J., Fischer, R. G., & Ireland, C. (2011). Quantifying Katz: Empirically measuring “reasonable expectations of privacy” in the Fourth Amendment context.American Journal of Criminal Law, 38(3), 289-373. Retrieved from http://ajclonline.org/

• The full-text version of this article is available in the ProQuest database in the University of Arizona Global Campus Library. This article is a detailed analysis of the right to privacy through the lens of recent Supreme Court opinions and current events.

Web Pages

Roberts Court (2010- ) (Links to an external site.) (http://www.oyez.org/courts/robt6)

• This web page provides an archive of information about the Roberts Court era of the U.S. Supreme Court. Other eras of the Supreme Court can also be accessed here.

The Supreme Court Historical Society (Links to an external site.) (http://www.supremecourthistory.org/)

• The Society and its web-based materials are dedicated to the collection and preservation of the history of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Legal Materials

U.S. Const. amend. IV.

• This amendment details rights regarding search and seizure.

U.S. Const. amend.V.

• This amendment details rights regarding the “right to remain silent” and double jeopardy protection.

U.S. Const. amend.VI.

• This amendment details the right to an attorney and a speedy trial.

U.S. Const. amend.VIII.

• This amendment details rights regarding the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.