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3112 - Sociologists Engage on Criminal (In)justice

Mon, August 12, 8:30 to 10:10am, New York Hilton, Floor: Second Floor, Clinton

Session Submission Type: Invited Session

Description

In the last decade the public discourse on punishment in the United States has experienced a decided shift. Policymakers on both sides of the aisle have begun to rethink our nation’s criminal justice policies – in particular aggressive policing, use of bail/fines and fees, and investment in prisons. Activists, including formerly incarcerated persons, have created new reform (and abolition) movements. And the public increasingly reports support for rehabilitation. While punishment scholars have almost uniformly critiqued mass incarceration since the 1990s, the shift in discourse provides scholars with more opportunities than ever to engage policymakers, activists and the public on issues of criminal (in)justice. Having produced the cutting edge scholarship on the rise and consequences of the carceral state, sociologists are uniquely positioned to contribute to criminal justice reform. A distinguished panel of speakers will draw from their diverse personal experience as public sociologists to address three key questions. First, from providing empirical data to direct advocacy, what are the myriad of roles for sociologists in shrinking the carceral state? Second, what are best practices for reaching the target audience and how has that audience responded? And third, what are the successes and challenges of public engagement? The panel will begin to build a community of sociologists who can learn from and support each other as they help inform a critical public dialogue on policing and punishment in the United States.

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