All Justice 101 Videos
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The History of Solitary Confinement in America
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Vviewers were invited to join us for a deep dive into the origins of solitary confinement at Eastern State Penitentiary — a practice originally intended to encourage reflection and repentance — and how it became a widespread and controversial punishment. Plus, attendees got a behind-the-scenes look at ESPHS archives and other powerful spaces not typically open to the public as we livestreamed directly from the historic site.
Official Book Launch — The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits
Thursday, April 10, 2025
This event took place in person at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site and online via Zoom. It celebrated the release of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits, the highly anticipated book by Worth Rises, a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to dismantling the prison industry and ending the exploitation of those it touches.
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The History and Legacy of Women in Prison
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Join us as we explore the often-overlooked history of women in the American prison system including how the incarceration of women has evolved as well as the powerful stories and legacy of women who fight for justice every day.
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Free Speech Behind Bars – The First Amendment and Prison Radio
Sunday, February 02, 2025
Examining the challenges and contradictions of the First Amendment within U.S. prisons, this program explored the ways Prison Radio provides a platform for incarcerated individuals to share their stories, ideas, and experiences.
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The Long Revolt: Reinterpreting Dissent, Prison Uprisings, and Black Radicalism
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
In this conversation, Orisanmi Burton explored the legacy of the Attica Uprising as part of a broader history of Black resistance to state violence and oppression. Drawing on his book, Burton challenged conventional narratives by highlighting the intellectual and political goals of incarcerated leaders and their contributions to critical thought on justice and liberation. The discussion examined how these uprisings exposed the brutal realities of the prison system and catalyzed revolutionary consciousness, influencing contemporary movements for racial justice and prison reform.
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Fourth Amendment in the Digital Age: Privacy, Policing, and Constitutional Rights
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
As we commemorated Bill of Rights Day, the Fourth Amendment took center stage in this critical discussion on privacy, surveillance, and policing on December 11, 2024. This panel delved into the complexities surrounding the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches and seizures in today’s rapidly evolving digital and social landscape. The conversation addressed key issues surrounding the Fourth Amendment and individual rights, focusing on privacy protections, law enforcement practices, and the balance between security measures and civil liberties in various contexts.
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Understanding Restorative Justice
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Restorative justice offers a transformative approach to addressing harm, emphasizing dialogue and understanding between victims and perpetrators as a path to healing and closure. This panel will explore the dynamics of restorative justice practices, many of which are rooted in indigenous traditions, where individuals directly affected by crime engage in facilitated conversations aimed at acknowledging harm, fostering empathy, and rebuilding trust.
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The State of the Union on Criminal Justice Reform
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
We presented a virtual panel on the current State of the Union on Criminal Justice Reform. In an era marked by increasing scrutiny of the criminal justice system, the state of criminal justice reform remains a critical and evolving issue in the United States. This panel brought together leading experts, policymakers, and advocates to explore the current landscape of criminal justice reform, examining the successes, challenges, and opportunities that define this pivotal moment in history.
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Policing in America: Navigating the 4th Amendment, Stop and Frisk, and Civil Rights
Monday, May 13, 2024
This program examined the intersections of the 4th Amendment, stop-and-frisk practices, and the protection of Civil Rights, fostering a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities within contemporary policing. This program featured Vincent Warren and Professor David Rudovsky.
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Exploring the 13th Amendment and the Persistence of Forced Labor in Prisons
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
In this thought-provoking program, we delved into the complex issues surrounding the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which ostensibly bans slavery with the exception of punishment for a crime. Despite the constitutional prohibition, reports suggest that forced prison labor persists, raising critical questions about the intersection of justice, incarceration, and human rights.
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Women Behind Bars: Why is incarceration of women on the rise?
Monday, March 18, 2024
Join us for a program shedding light on the concerning rise of female imprisonment in the United States, which is surpassing global rates. This exploration spans from the historical context of women in prison to the present-day complexities of incarcerated motherhood. Discover the unique challenges faced by women as they navigate life within correctional facilities primarily designed for men. Featuring Michelle Daniel Jones and Jen Manion.
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Does the First Amendment Apply in Prisons?
Thursday, February 22, 2024
This program explored the intersection of prison journalism and First Amendment rights, specifically focusing on the question of whether the First Amendment applies in prisons. The session delved into the limits of freedom of speech within the prison system, using examples such as social media posts that implicate individuals, using social media as evidence in court, and instances of prisons censoring media produced by incarcerated people. The discussion also touched upon issues like phone and book bans in prison and the controversial scanned mail service in Pennsylvania.
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Conversation on Civil Rights Movements Within Prisons with Prof. Hasan Jeffries
Friday, January 19, 2024
Professor Hasan Jeffries, Ph.D., and Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site President & CEO Kerry Sautner explored the Civil Rights Movement and modern cases for civil liberties in prisons. This program delved into two pivotal explorations of this topic — Civil Rights Leaders who were imprisoned, and incarcerated individuals as civil rights champions — examining how acts of dissent and the consequences of imprisonment have shaped historical and contemporary efforts for justice and equality.
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The 8th Amendment: Cruel & Unusual Punishment
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
This Constitution Day, Amy Fettig (legal analyst, former Deputy Director of the ACLU 's National Prison Project, and former Executive Director of thesentencingproject ) and Professor Kermit Roosevelt III (author of The Nation That Never Was: Reconstructing America's Story) used the Eighth Amendment as a framework to examine the history of crime and punishment in America as well as contemporary issues in criminal justice reform. This discussion was moderated by Dr. Kerry Sautner, President and CEO of Eastern State Penitentiary.
The History of Solitary Confinement in America
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Vviewers were invited to join us for a deep dive into the origins of solitary confinement at Eastern State Penitentiary — a practice originally intended to encourage reflection and repentance — and how it became a widespread and controversial punishment. Plus, attendees got a behind-the-scenes look at ESPHS archives and other powerful spaces not typically open to the public as we livestreamed directly from the historic site.
Official Book Launch — The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits
Thursday, April 10, 2025
This event took place in person at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site and online via Zoom. It celebrated the release of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits, the highly anticipated book by Worth Rises, a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to dismantling the prison industry and ending the exploitation of those it touches.
The History and Legacy of Women in Prison
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Join us as we explore the often-overlooked history of women in the American prison system including how the incarceration of women has evolved as well as the powerful stories and legacy of women who fight for justice every day.
Free Speech Behind Bars – The First Amendment and Prison Radio
Sunday, February 02, 2025
Examining the challenges and contradictions of the First Amendment within U.S. prisons, this program explored the ways Prison Radio provides a platform for incarcerated individuals to share their stories, ideas, and experiences.
The Long Revolt: Reinterpreting Dissent, Prison Uprisings, and Black Radicalism
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
In this conversation, Orisanmi Burton explored the legacy of the Attica Uprising as part of a broader history of Black resistance to state violence and oppression. Drawing on his book, Burton challenged conventional narratives by highlighting the intellectual and political goals of incarcerated leaders and their contributions to critical thought on justice and liberation. The discussion examined how these uprisings exposed the brutal realities of the prison system and catalyzed revolutionary consciousness, influencing contemporary movements for racial justice and prison reform.
Fourth Amendment in the Digital Age: Privacy, Policing, and Constitutional Rights
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
As we commemorated Bill of Rights Day, the Fourth Amendment took center stage in this critical discussion on privacy, surveillance, and policing on December 11, 2024. This panel delved into the complexities surrounding the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches and seizures in today’s rapidly evolving digital and social landscape. The conversation addressed key issues surrounding the Fourth Amendment and individual rights, focusing on privacy protections, law enforcement practices, and the balance between security measures and civil liberties in various contexts.
Understanding Restorative Justice
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Restorative justice offers a transformative approach to addressing harm, emphasizing dialogue and understanding between victims and perpetrators as a path to healing and closure. This panel will explore the dynamics of restorative justice practices, many of which are rooted in indigenous traditions, where individuals directly affected by crime engage in facilitated conversations aimed at acknowledging harm, fostering empathy, and rebuilding trust.
The State of the Union on Criminal Justice Reform
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
We presented a virtual panel on the current State of the Union on Criminal Justice Reform. In an era marked by increasing scrutiny of the criminal justice system, the state of criminal justice reform remains a critical and evolving issue in the United States. This panel brought together leading experts, policymakers, and advocates to explore the current landscape of criminal justice reform, examining the successes, challenges, and opportunities that define this pivotal moment in history.
Policing in America: Navigating the 4th Amendment, Stop and Frisk, and Civil Rights
Monday, May 13, 2024
This program examined the intersections of the 4th Amendment, stop-and-frisk practices, and the protection of Civil Rights, fostering a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities within contemporary policing. This program featured Vincent Warren and Professor David Rudovsky.
Exploring the 13th Amendment and the Persistence of Forced Labor in Prisons
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
In this thought-provoking program, we delved into the complex issues surrounding the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which ostensibly bans slavery with the exception of punishment for a crime. Despite the constitutional prohibition, reports suggest that forced prison labor persists, raising critical questions about the intersection of justice, incarceration, and human rights.
Women Behind Bars: Why is incarceration of women on the rise?
Monday, March 18, 2024
Join us for a program shedding light on the concerning rise of female imprisonment in the United States, which is surpassing global rates. This exploration spans from the historical context of women in prison to the present-day complexities of incarcerated motherhood. Discover the unique challenges faced by women as they navigate life within correctional facilities primarily designed for men. Featuring Michelle Daniel Jones and Jen Manion.
Does the First Amendment Apply in Prisons?
Thursday, February 22, 2024
This program explored the intersection of prison journalism and First Amendment rights, specifically focusing on the question of whether the First Amendment applies in prisons. The session delved into the limits of freedom of speech within the prison system, using examples such as social media posts that implicate individuals, using social media as evidence in court, and instances of prisons censoring media produced by incarcerated people. The discussion also touched upon issues like phone and book bans in prison and the controversial scanned mail service in Pennsylvania.
Conversation on Civil Rights Movements Within Prisons with Prof. Hasan Jeffries
Friday, January 19, 2024
Professor Hasan Jeffries, Ph.D., and Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site President & CEO Kerry Sautner explored the Civil Rights Movement and modern cases for civil liberties in prisons. This program delved into two pivotal explorations of this topic — Civil Rights Leaders who were imprisoned, and incarcerated individuals as civil rights champions — examining how acts of dissent and the consequences of imprisonment have shaped historical and contemporary efforts for justice and equality.
The 8th Amendment: Cruel & Unusual Punishment
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
This Constitution Day, Amy Fettig (legal analyst, former Deputy Director of the ACLU 's National Prison Project, and former Executive Director of thesentencingproject ) and Professor Kermit Roosevelt III (author of The Nation That Never Was: Reconstructing America's Story) used the Eighth Amendment as a framework to examine the history of crime and punishment in America as well as contemporary issues in criminal justice reform. This discussion was moderated by Dr. Kerry Sautner, President and CEO of Eastern State Penitentiary.