Moving Justice Forward
Explore the impacts of the criminal legal system on individuals, communities, and American society.
Research
Faculty at UCLA Law have published widely in the area of criminal law. The research interests of our faculty cover a wide range of issues, including qualified immunity, the criminalization of immigration, the collateral consequences of criminal convictions, comparative criminal law, fines and fees in the criminal system, Fourth Amendment law, policing, the impact of racial bias on charging and sentencing decisions, plea bargaining, juvenile justice, prison conditions, and much more. Through seminars and special research projects initiated by CJP, students regularly have the opportunity to engage in independent research projects, support faculty research, and engage in projects to disseminate research findings in ways that impact public policy.
Curriculum
Students at UCLA Law have the opportunity to enroll in a full menu of criminal law courses with leading faculty in the field. In addition to the required introductory criminal law class, students may enroll in core advanced courses such as Evidence, Criminal Procedure: Investigations, Criminal Procedure: Adjudication, Criminal Procedure: Habeas Corpus, Capital Punishment in America, Federal White Collar Crime. UCLA Law also offers numerous courses in international and comparative criminal law, including Global Perspectives on Criminal Procedure and International Criminal Law. There are also many specialty seminars to choose from, including:
- Current Topics in Criminal Law
- Prison Law and Policy
- Sentencing Law and Policy
- Suing the Police
- Topics in Post-Conviction Law and Policy
UCLA Law also offers experiential courses for students interested in criminal practice. Classes such as Criminal Trial Advocacy and Advanced Criminal Trial Advocacy teach valuable courtroom advocacy skills. In addition, students may represent clients under the supervision of experienced faculty in the following experiential courses:
- Prisoners’ Rights Clinic
- Criminal Defense Clinic
- Supreme Court Clinic
- Community Lawyering in Education Clinic
- Veterans Justice Clinic: Poverty, Homelessness & Criminalization
Students also regularly enroll in full- and part-time externships that expose them to cutting-edge criminal law practice, including at the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office. For more information, please see CJP’s guide to Criminal Law Externships.
Student Engagement
Students at UCLA Law have numerous extracurricular opportunities to develop their interests in criminal law by taking a leadership role in student groups, joining the editorial board of the Criminal Justice Law Review, participating in summer internships in the field of criminal law, or volunteering for community-based organizations.
Student Membership Organizations
- UCLA Law Students for Decarceration (LSFD) is a student-led group that fosters an inclusive forum for UCLA Law students to contribute to advancing justice within the criminal law system. LSFD seeks to promote criminal law dialogue, practice, reform, policy, and scholarship related to decarceration. LSFD promotes inclusive and diverse participation in a critical examination of the criminal legal system.
- Bruin Underground Scholars supports the academic experiences of students that identify as formerly incarcerated and/or system impacted. Bruin Underground Scholars understands that UCLA Law’s students come from a plethora of walks and honors the lived experiences of those that have dealt with the direct and indirect experiences of the carceral system.
- Alliance of Formerly Incarcerated & System-Involved Students (AFISIS) is an organization of formerly incarcerated/system-involved students and allies. AFISIS is dedicated to advocating on behalf of formerly incarcerated and system-involved students and aspiring law students and providing support. AFISIS’ first efforts involved creating a website to support prospective applicants to UCLA Law who identify as formerly incarcerated/system-involved.
Student Journal
UCLA School of Law hosts a student-run journal that focuses on current topics in criminal law and policy, the Criminal Justice Law Review (CJLR). CJLR seeks to develop a discourse regarding criminal justice by publishing articles, editorials, and interviews of practitioners, academics, and policymakers. CJLR also aims to foster a community by hosting an annual symposium for students, academics, practitioners, policymakers, and judges to come together to discuss current criminal justice issues.
Volunteer Opportunities
El Centro’s Reentry Legal Clinic is a volunteer clinic that trains students to prepare expungement petitions in partnership with the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization A New Way of Life.
Career Resources
Students interested in criminal law careers should consult the following job guides as well as take advantage of the career counseling available through the Office of Public Interest Programs and Office of Career Services.