Justice 101 — Powered by the Eastern State Center for Justice Education, Justice 101 is a discussion series that dives into some of the most pressing issues in criminal justice today, through a historical lens and with a focus on civic education. Each program includes interactive online or in-person elements, expert voices, and opportunities for community dialogue.
Justice 101: Reconstruction and the Origins of Modern Incarceration
Sunday, February 01 - Saturday, February 28, 2026
All Day
Date to be confirmed—please check back for updates.
Following the abolition of slavery, the United States entered a period of profound constitutional, social, and institutional transformation. How did the nation seek to rebuild its legal and civic structures after the Civil War, and in what ways did these efforts shape the development of modern systems of punishment and confinement?
Join the Eastern State Center for Justice Education for this installment of Justice 101, which examines the Reconstruction Era as a pivotal chapter in American legal and social history. This program explores how postwar reforms, shifting labor systems, and emerging state and local policies influenced patterns of incarceration and social order in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Moderated by Dr. Kerry Sautner, President and CEO of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, the conversation will feature leading scholars and practitioners in the fields of history, law, and social policy. Together, they will consider how Reconstruction-era decisions continue to inform the structure and function of the American justice system today, offering historical context for understanding its evolution over time.
About the Panelists:
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