The purpose of this course is to engage students in deep analysis of the prison system in the U.S., with a focus on the Florida system. As the authors of one text note, prisons affect everyone and all law students should have some knowledge of the related law. We will examine the origins and goals of prisons in the U.S. (incapacitation, deterrence, punishment, and rehabilitation) and evaluate the effectiveness of prisons in achieving these goals. We will explore the reality of prison life using non-fiction accounts and if possible, guest lecturers and visits to local prisons. We will also study the state and federal legal options available to prisoners who believe their rights have been violated, with emphasis on access to courts, conditions of confinement, medical care, searches and seizures, procedural due process, and First Amendment rights. We will look at unique ways that prisons in Florida and elsewhere have approached issues related to reentry and collateral consequences of imprisonment.