Lab Launches Speaker Series on Social Science Research and Justice Policy

August 09, 2023

The series will investigate how research can contribute to the reversal of mass incarceration and help develop alternative models of community safety.

In September, the Justice Lab will kick off a new speaker series focused on the relationship between social science research and criminal legal policy. Once monthly, researchers from a range of disciplines will present innovative work that examines how research has been used to support harmful and punitive policies; investigates ways to reduce criminalization and punishment; and assesses the potential for academic institutions and communities to democratize research and contribute to transformational change in policy and practice. 

Speakers include: Michael Jacobson, founding Executive Director at the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance and a sociology professor at the CUNY Graduate Center, Robert Vargas, Associate Professor of Sociology and Deputy Dean of the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago; Tracey Meares, Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and a Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School; Monica Bell, Professor of Law and Counselor to the Dean at Yale Law School and an Associate Professor of Sociology at Yale University; Charles Lea, Assistant Professor of Social Work at Columbia University and a Faculty Affiliate of the Columbia Population Research Center; Andrew Papachristos, Professor of Sociology and Faculty Fellow at Northwestern's Institute for Policy Research, and the Faculty Director of Corners: the Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research & Science; and others.

All presentations will be recorded and made available on the Justice Lab website. Speakers will present their work in-person at The Interchurch Center (61 Claremont Avenue, New York, NY). Participants may also join online via Zoom. In-person registration is available to the Columbia community on a first come, first served basis, and speakers will be announced as they are confirmed. For more information and to register for upcoming events, visit our events webpage.

This series is supported by funding from the Institute of Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP) at Columbia University.

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