A Cross-National Comparison of Justice in Canada and the United States

In this study-abroad program to Montreal and Ottawa, students will gain a greater understanding of three justice models used around the world: adversarial, inquisitorial, and restorative justice. Through museum and prison tour visits, an academic lecture, and workshop, students will be able to critically assess the strengths of each and consider what the goals of a justice system should be and the most effective means of achieving them. Additionally, as Canada has a total jail and prison population that is two percent of the United States’ (World Prison Brief, 2020) special attention will be paid to what policies and practices led to the United States becoming the world’s largest jailer.