-- Presented in partnership with the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement, Eastern State Penitentiary’s September 17 Justice 101 tackles issues of excessive punishment and mass incarceration --
September 3, 2024
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) announces the second season of Justice 101, returning Tuesday, September 17 with a discussion about excessive punishment and mass incarceration. The hybrid event takes place in person at The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Parkway Central Library auditorium and online via Zoom, free and open to the public. Reservations are required: EasternState.org.
Presented in partnership with the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement, the September 17 Justice 101 program features a distinguished panel of scholars, practitioners, activists, and thought leaders who will explore the concept of establishing justice and will critically examine the role of excessive punishment in the criminal justice system. The discussion will answer such questions as: Why has the United States adopted punishment as its primary response to social harm? What viable alternatives exist? And how does this system influence our communities and electoral processes, both locally and nationally?
“As we embark on our nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, it is crucial to reflect on a fundamental question: Have we truly established justice? In an era marked by mass incarceration, that’s unclear,” says Dr. Kerry Sautner, President and CEO of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. “Moreover, how we can effect meaningful change toward a criminal legal system that is smaller, more effective, and more humane? I look forward to unpacking these critical questions with our expert panel and exploring with them some potential pathways for improvement.”
The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, with nearly two million people in prisons and jails. This expansive system disproportionately affects marginalized communities, administering punishment on an outsized scale without achieving public safety, but rather perpetuating inequality and recidivism.1
The September 17 discussion features Lauren-Brooke Eisen and Kathy Foer-Morse, two of the contributors to Excessive Punishment: How the Justice System Creates Mass Incarceration; Wadud Ahmad, President of Ahmad Zaffarese; and Michael Resnick, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. Moderated by Dr. Kerry Sautner, President and CEO of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, with remarks by Kelly Richards, President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and Abu Edwards, Director of Black Male Engagement for the City of Philadelphia. Activations by the Pennsylvania Prison Society, Harriet's Bookshop, Committee of Seventy, and the Mayor's Office of Black Male Engagement.
Justice 101: Establishing Justice: Excessive Punishment and Mass Incarceration takes place Tuesday, September 17 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This event is free; reservations are required for both in-person and remote attendees. For more information and to register, visit EasternState.org.
Program Listing:
Justice 101: Establishing Justice: Excessive Punishment and Mass Incarceration
Tuesday, September 17
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Free. Advance registration required.
In Person: Parkway Central Library Auditorium. Register here.
Online: Live-streamed via Zoom. Register here.
Details at EasternState.org.
About the Panelists:
- Wadud Ahmad, Esq. (he/him) is the President of Ahmad Zaffarese. His responsibility is to ensure that the bouquet of ideas, life experiences and cultural perspectives that each of the team’s attorneys possess is leveraged for the benefit of their clients. Before founding Ahmad Zaffarese, LLC, Ahmad began his legal career as a prosecutor at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. Currently, his practice focuses on public finance, and advising municipalities and businesses on responsible corporate governance.
- Lauren-Brooke Eisen (she/her) is the Senior Director of the Brennan Center’s Justice Program where she leads the Brennan Center’s work to end mass incarceration. Her team focuses on exposing the profound social and economic hardships that impact those who encounter the justice system while creating policies that ultimately shrink its size and scope.
Before joining the Brennan Center, Eisen was a senior program associate at the Vera Institute of Justice, where she worked on the sentencing and corrections team to implement policies in multiple states to improve public safety while reducing prison populations. She also previously served as an assistant district attorney in New York City, where she worked in the Appeals Bureau, the Criminal Court Bureau, and the Sex Crimes Special Victims Bureau. Before entering law school, Eisen worked as a beat reporter for a daily newspaper in Laredo, Texas, covering criminal justice and immigration. Eisen holds an AB from Princeton University and a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center. - Kathy Foer-Morse (she/her) is a criminal justice advocate focusing on women and incarceration. Her firsthand experience with the criminal justice system and being incarcerated gives her a deep understanding of how these issues impact women and girls, their families, and friends. Kathy is dedicated to raising awareness within the community about these impacts; she currently works for a New Jersey nonprofit that provides reentry services.
- Michael R. Resnick, Esq. (he/him) is the Commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons.
About Justice 101:
Justice 101 is a monthly discussion series examining the history of the justice system in America, from its founding to today, and the impact it has on society, citizens, and the world.
The 2024-25 series of Justice 101 tackles such issues as restorative justice, juvenile justice, justice reform as political platform, solitary confinement, and the death penalty. Full program schedule and panelist details to be announced.
Justice 101 programs are free and take place monthly. Guests can tune in live or watch the programs back anytime on YouTube. Justice 101 is designed for learners of all ages. For more information, visit EasternState.org/Justice101.
About Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site:
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site interprets the legacy of American criminal justice reform, from the nation’s founding through to the present day, within the long-abandoned cellblocks of the nation’s most historic prison. For more information, visit EasternState.org and follow Eastern State on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, Tik Tok, and YouTube.
About the Free Library of Philadelphia:
The mission of the Free Library of Philadelphia is to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity. Its vision is to build an enlightened community devoted to lifelong learning. For more information, visit FreeLibrary.org and follow the Free Library on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
About the Brennan Center for Justice:
The Brennan Center for Justice is a nonpartisan law and policy institute working to build an America that is democratic, just, and free – for all. For more information, visit BrennanCenter.org and follow the Brennan Center on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube.
About the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement:
The Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement (OBME) works to close the opportunity divide for men and boys of color. OBME is part of the larger Office of Public Engagement. For more information, visit Phila.gov and follow OBME on Facebook and Instagram.
1 The Sentencing Project (2024). Mass Incarceration Trends, https://www.sentencingproject.org/app/uploads/2024/05/Mass-Incarceration-Trends.pdf
###
Post This!
Have we as a society truly established justice? Dig into this question and more at @EasternState Penitentiary’s #Justice101, returning this fall with a conversation on 9/17 about excessive punishment and mass incarceration. Learn more and register: https://www.easternstate.org/justice101
###
