2016-2017 Events
“Incarcerating Us ” – World Premiere and Panel Discussion
Thursday, September 15, 2016, 6:30-9:00 PM
Hart Auditorium
GU Law Center
On September 15, the Prisons and Justice Initiative at Georgetown University hosted the world premiere showing of “Incarcerating US,” a feature length documentary that exposes America’s prison problem and explores ways to unshackle the Land of the Free through vital criminal justice reforms. With 2.3 million people behind bars, the U.S. has the largest prison population in the history of the world. Incarcerating US tells the story of America’s broken criminal justice system through the eyes of those who created it, those who have suffered through it, and those who are fighting to change it. Watch the trailer.
The premiere event took place in the Hart Auditorium at the Georgetown University Law Center, and was co-sponsored by the Georgetown University Law Center’s Race and Criminal Law Working Group. The viewing was followed by a panel discussion with leading experts on criminal justice reform.
Faculty Seminar Series
Mobilized Injustice: Criminal Justice Contact and Latinos’ Political Participation
Hannah Walker
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Prisons and Justice Initiative
Georgetown University
Thursday, October 13, 2016, 12:30-2:00 PM
ICC 141, CCAS Boardroom
Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice after Serial
Thursday, October 20, 2016, 7:00-9:00 pm
ICC Auditorium
The Prisons and Justice Initiative was honored to host a special event featuring Rabia Chaudry, the author of the best-selling book Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial. Rabia has become leading pioneer for justice for her longtime friend Adnad Syed, who has been incarcerated since 2000, and who became famous after the podcast Serial went viral and was downloaded over 500 million times. Rabia went on to co-create the widely influential podcast Undisclosed, which has provided even stronger evidence of Adnan’s innocence (and has been downloaded over 100 million times). This event took place at a time of great hope for “Team Adnan,” who is expected to receive a new trial sometime soon.
Rabia was joined by another special guest, Marty Tankleff, who himself spent over 17 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted. The event was moderated by PJI Director Marc Howard, who (like Rabia for Adnan) is Marty’s childhood friend and who worked for years to secure Marty’s exoneration and freedom.
Watch the event here.
Faculty Seminar Series
Crimes of Capitalism: Race, Convict Leasing, and the Rise of the New South
Megan Ming Francis
Assistant Professor of Political Science
University of Washington
Thursday, November 3, 2016, 12:30-2:00 PM
ICC 450
Changing the Lens on African American Boys
Thursday, November 17, 2016, 6:30-9:00 PM
Film and Media Studies, Film Screening Classroom
Healey Family Student Center 156
The Prisons and Justice Initiative was honored to co-host a special event featuring two new films from the award winning TEACHED series produced and directed by Kelly Amis. Co-hosted by Georgetown’s Film and Media Studies Program and sponsored by CityBridge Foundation and the Moriah Fund, this event examined the lenses through which society views African American boys and the role we all have to play in changing them.
Faculty Seminar Series
Crime, Punishment and the Racialized Future of the American State
Lisa Miller
Professor of Political Science
Rutgers University
Wednesday, November 30, 2016, 4:00-6:00 PM
McShain Lounge
“From Music Exec to Criminal Justice Reformer”
Thursday, February 2, 2017, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Riggs Library
The Prisons and Justice Initiative was honored to host an evening with Jason Flom, an internationally-recognized music executive and leader in the criminal justice reform field. Currently the CEO of Lava Records (and formerly CEO of Virgin Records and Atlantic Records), Flom is personally responsible for launching the careers of Katy Perry, Lorde, and Kid Rock, and he produced such artists as Jesse J, Matchbox 20, Skid Row, Tori Amos, Jewel, Coldplay, Lenny Kravitz, and many others.
Faculty Seminar Series
Still Right on Crime? The Future of Criminal Justice Reform Under Trump
David Dagan and Steven Teles
Johns Hopkins University
Wednesday, February 15, 2017, 12:30-2:00 PM
ICC 450
Dialogues on Being Human: The Intersection of Art, Health and Dignity with Jesse Krimes
Thursday, February 23, 2017
5:00pm: Exhibition of Purgatory
Spagnuolo Gallery, Walsh Building, 1221 36th Street NW
6:00 – 7:00pm: Dialogues On Being Human
Bioethics Library, 102 Healy Hall, 3700 O Street NW
7:00 – 8:00pm: Reception
Bioethics Library, Healy Hall
Georgetown University’s Department of Art and Art History, the Prisons and Justice Initiative, and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law were proud to present Jesse Krimes’ Exhibition of Purgatory.
Faculty Seminar Series
John Bessler
University of Baltimore School of Law
March 1, 2017, 11:30-1:00
McDonough 109, Georgetown University Law Center
600 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Charles Neville, Concert & Panel Discussion
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 8 PM
McNeir Hall, New North Building
This program of jazz standards and original tunes was followed by a discussion, moderated by Prof. Marc Howard, Director of the Prisons and Justice Initiative at Georgetown University. Panelists included Georgetown professors Ben Harbert and Maurice Jackson, Beth M. Bienvenu of the National Endowment of the Arts, and Claire Schwadron of Project Youth ArtReach.
Immigration and Community Policing in the Age of Trump
Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 7pm – 9pm
New South Film Screening Classroom, Healy Family Student Center
The Prisons and Justice Initiative hosted a panel of experts to discuss the impact of “crimmigration” on Latino communities. The event was co-sponsored with the Georgetown University Black Law Students Association and the Georgetown University Latin American Law Students Association.
Faculty Seminar Series
Portals: Community Conversations about the Police by the Policed
Vesla Weaver
Associate Professor of Political Science and African American Studies
Yale University
ICC 462
Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 12:30-2:00 PM
Faculty Seminar Series
Dismantling the Carceral State: The Promise, Perils, and Politics of Criminal Justice Reform in the Age of Trump
Marie Gottschalk
Professor of Political Science
University of Pennsylvania
ICC 141, CCAS Boardroom
Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 12:30-2:00 PM
Beyond 144: 6 Returning Citizens
Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 7pm
Healy Family Student Center Social Room
The Prisons and Justice Initiative and the “Prison Reform Project” class was proud to present “Beyond 144: 6 Returning Citizens,” a screening of several short, powerful, and inspiring documentaries. Each documentary shared the story of a returning citizen, highlighting the struggles, frustrations, and successes often encountered when reentering society following imprisonment. The six featured individuals were present for a post-screening discussion on the difficulties of reentry and the making of these projects.