University of Connecticut
Leadership Office
Leadership Legacy Speaker Series
Presents
Reimagining Prison: Young Adults and Justice Reform
Monday, April 3rd, 2017, 7:30pm
Dodd Center Konover Auditorium
Storrs, CT
The often quoted statistic is that the prison population in the United States now includes about two million people, and has a disproportionate number of people of color and those in poverty. Young adults, ages 18-24 make up 21% of people admitted to prison, despite being only 10% of the U.S. population. How did we get here and where are we heading as a country? Recently, Connecticut embarked on an effort to reform the criminal justice system in regards to young adults. Join the Leadership Legacy Experience for a discussion on prison reform with Alex Frank, Senior Program Associate for Youth Justice at the Vera Institute of Justice. What is the condition of youth incarceration in the United States, how is it connected to race and poverty, and what policies and programs are helping or hurting? With increased political efforts to reduce the prison population by eliminating mandatory minimums, bail reform, or raising the age, there is an opportunity for a productive conversation on mass incarceration and the impact on youth, poverty, race, and social institutions in the United States.
Alex’s work at the Vera Institute is aimed at ending mass incarceration and eliminating the correctional model of youth justice, with an eye towards race equity and community partnership. At Vera, Alex is leading the Center on Youth Justice’s (CYJ) work on young adult justice within the juvenile and adult justice systems on both a national and state level. This includes working with the Connecticut Department of Corrections on the design and implementation of a new practice model for working with young adults ages 18 – 25 who are incarcerated in CT.
Admission to this event is free. All members of the community are welcome to attend.
Guided by its core principles, the Leadership Office at the University of Connecticut facilitates educational and experiential initiatives that challenge individuals and organizations to explore, strengthen, and elevate their character, leadership and ability to contribute as global citizens. The Leadership Legacy Experience is the University’s most prestigious leadership development program; through lectures, discussions and presentations, the Leadership Legacy Speaker Series offers the campus community access to renowned scholars and leaders who explore critical issues of the day.
For accommodations, please contact Lexy Parrill at studentleadership@uconn.edu
For information on the event and the Leadership Legacy Experience, visit leadershiplegacy.uconn.edu
For more information, contact: Leadership Office at 8604866588