Crime and Consequence
When innocent people are wrongly convicted…
When “correctional facilities” turn first-time offenders into hardened criminals…
When known murderers walk free on a technicality …
Fairness in justice simply cannot be left to chance.
In Crime and Consequence, we explore 3000 years of Jewish wisdom concerning criminal convictions, sentencing, crime prevention, and rehabilitation. We challenge our thinking, pondering the application of Talmudic principles to real and complex, modern-day cases, and we get to the heart of questions such as:
Should we consider testimonies given in exchange for a reduced sentence as reliable evidence?
What is the goal of punishing criminals? is it to gain retribution for the victim, keep criminals off the streets and safeguard from future crime, set an example and instill the fear of law, or to rehabilitate the criminal and reintroduce him to society?
Is life-without-parole a justifiable penalty? Is it within our right to sentence a man to death? When would these be warranted? Is there a better way?
Lesson 1
Lock and Key: What’s the Point of Prison?
A quick glance at the statistics suggests an uncomfortable truth: modern-day societies imprison people at a rate unparalleled, and indeed unimaginable, in past times. Why is this so? Why do we lock people up, and what do we hope to achieve by doing so? Does the purpose of prison always outweigh the cons of conviction? This lesson considers and contrasts secular and Talmudic theories of criminal justice, before suggesting how to ensure a more just justice system
Lesson 2
Judge, Jewry, and Execution: Judaism and the Death Penalty
Some crimes are irreversible. Everyone makes mistakes. Taken together, these two propositions suggest both the imperative and impediment for the death penalty and point to its central paradox. Can man have the authority to sentence another man to death? How should we respond to the most serious crimes?
Lesson 3
Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue: Standards of Evidence in the Talmud
Justice may be blind, but judges and juries must be clear-sighted. This lesson explores the concept of evidentiary standards as it arises in several overlapping areas of Talmudic and secular law: How can we assess the truth of testimony? Does every criminal confession pass muster, or are some inadmissible? When can informants be considered credible?
Lesson 4
Clean Slate: How Do Criminals Make Amends?
What is the ultimate aim of the criminal justice system? If society seeks restitution for crimes and rehabilitation for criminals, it needs a better plan. It must consider what rehabilitation looks like, for which offenders and offenses it is applicable, and how to ensure sentencing contributes to this end. This class examines the extensive, systematic program of repentance laid out in the Talmud and considers what insights this process holds for the above questions and present-day criminal rehabilitation. Finally, we look at sentencing programs that incorporate some of these elements in their pursuit of real rehabilitative justice.
Lesson 5
Moving Forward: Reacceptance and the Criminal Background Check
All of your deeds are recorded in a book: so declares the Rosh Hashanah liturgy, and so it is within the contemporary criminal justice system. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are released from prison and seek to rejoin society, but many are stymied by the public availability of their criminal records. Is it possible to find a balance between the needs of society, prospective employers, and ex-offenders? After surveying the contemporary situation, this class looks for answers in the paradigms of Jewish law.
Lesson 6
An Ounce of Prevention: Addressing Crime Before It Happens
The best way to improve the criminal justice system is by keeping people out of it. But before any attempt to prevent crime can be made, its causes and preconditions must be better understood. Judaism has long recognized the role of societal factors in the commission of crime: poverty and unemployment are significant, as are education, values, and personal character. This final lesson discusses the roots of criminality, several specific preventative policy proposals, and the various concerns associated with them.
| Weight | 2 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 8.5 × 11 × 1 in |
| Audience | Advanced Learners, Attorneys |
| Department | Flagship |
| Lessons | 6 |
Course Textbook
| Weight | 1.3 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 8 × 10 × 0.5 in |
Related Products
Terrorism forces us to confront impossible dilemmas: Should one pay hefty ransoms to terrorists in exchange for the life and freedom of an innocent hostage? Can torture be deemed ethical when used to extract information that can immediately save thousands of lives?
In stock
The Mitzvot associated with preparing for the holiday of Passover are classic examples where the Biblical commandments are closely interwoven with later Rabbinic enactments. As you study, you will learn to analyze the sages’ thought processes as they sought to strengthen Torah observance. Lessons will focus on practical Halacha as you follow the Mitzvah from its Biblical roots to the Talmudic dialogue, to the verdicts of the codifiers.
Along the way, The Talmud’s text meanders to touch on topics as varied as safe traveling, speaking with refinement, trusting strangers and performing Mitzvot with alacrity, among other subjects.
In stock
Talmudic Perspectives on Today’s Policies
Prison, Wealth, Drug Pricing, and Guns
This is a self guided study course that consists of four lessons about issues that are prominent in the contemporary policy debate.
Lesson 1 addresses the current state of incarceration in the U.S. and asks what our guiding purpose in punishing criminals should be and whether incarceration is always the best way to achieve this goal.
Lesson 2 addresses the issue of income inequality and asks whether the Torah has a moral objection to the accumulation of great wealth.
Lesson 3 addresses the problem of the high cost of many lifesaving medications and asks whether we can strike a better balance between incentivizing private investment in new drug development and increasing drug availability for the public.
Lesson 4 tackles the question of gun control and explores Torah’s attitude toward weapons and its stance on sale restrictions.
Available on backorder
For over a thousand years, our mostimportant cultural activity has been the study of Talmud. It has sustained us through persecution and exile, shaping the discourse of our people and serving as the crowning achievement of our intellectual tradition. Perhaps you have been curious about the Talmud, but thought it was complex and inaccessible to anyone lacking extensive training.
In stock
A mitzvah that is both widely observed and very demanding, Shabbat is the focal point of the Jewish week. To properly keep Shabbat, one must have an understanding of the various laws and customs associated with the holy day. In this new course, visual aids are used to illuminate intricate legal analyses and legal derivations from the Talmud, shedding light into the mystery of Shabbat and its source in Biblical passages.
Note: Student books for this course are sold separately. Click here to to order them on Amazon.
In stock
How does an ancient system of law adapt to the modern world? See how Talmudic scholars respond to new advances in technology and society while remaining faithful to eternal principles. You Be the Judge II presents six new cases that invite you to pit your wits against some of the best minds in Jewish history.
In stock
Two JLI lessons on Gun Control & Immigration
Student Books Available here
In stock
This course introduces you to a fascinating discussion about lost and mislaid property. You’ll tackle challenging analyses about the classification of various kinds of finds, and explore the Talmud’s directives regarding your civic duties and moral responsibilities.
Join us as we delve into the two-thousand-year-old Talmudic tradition, enjoying the rich interplay of law, logic, and ethics as you acquire study skills.
In stock
Apply mind-bending, brain-twisting, hair-splitting Talmudic reasoning to solve real-life modern dilemmas—situations that actually happened yet seem impossible to solve. What do you do when your gut tells you one thing, and your brain tells you another? Prepare for a mental expedition to mind-wrestle with situations that force us to choose between two reasonable truths.
Analyze, discuss, and debate Talmudic texts with live interactive polling for an authentic taste of original, dynamic Talmud study.
In stock
Prayer and reflection are fundamental components of our spiritual life and the ultimate expressions of our faith. In Judaism, on Yom Kippur and other auspicious, holy days or times of need, we intensify our communion with the Almighty with fasting.
Under the guidance and direction of the renowned, leading Talmudic scholar of our era, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz), this new course is a study of the opening chapter of Talmudic tractate Ta’anit (Fasting). The discussion in this section centers around the Torah’s view on prayer, and specifically, prayers for rain in times of drought.
The subject is inspirational and empowering, demonstrating the Jewish tradition of directly communicating with our creator and asking Him to provide for all our needs.
In stock
This course provides a look at how we balance personal religious idealism and family responsibilities. Along the way, we will consider topics as varied as Jewish marriage and divorce laws, Jewish burial practices, and the value of living in the Land of Israel.
You will learn to suspend judgment as you take an argument to its logical extreme and examine the implications. You will also learn how to trace a subject from its Biblical roots through the insightful analysis of the Talmudic sages, and you will see how the debates of the Talmud are resolved by the codifiers of Jewish law.
In stock
When your heart is pulled in two directions, how do you know which tug to follow? The Talmud lays down principles that can help you disentangle warring intuitions so that you can clearly discern right from wrong. In this course, we invite you to experience the fascinating application of law and logic as the rabbis struggle to determine what is just.
In stock