Bridging the Gaps Between Communities and the Criminal Justice System

The landscapes of American law, law enforcement, and criminal justice system are dramatically shifting. Not only have very public examples of brutality and injustice recently affected the relationship between communities and police forces, but changing drug laws, the ubiquity of cell phone technology, and the increasing quality of video and image manipulation are complicating everything from basic policing to courtroom procedures. Calls for social justice include not just race but mental illness, disability, and health. With roughly half of Americans believing that major changes are needed to improve policing, what might effective criminal justice reforms look like? What is the ideal relationship between the police and the community in the twenty-first century?

Host: Stephanie Smith     Q&A Moderator: Dr. Jennifer LaPrade

Presenters

Assistant Professor, African American Studies & Criminology Michael B. Mitchell

Michael B. Mitchell

Assistant Professor, African American Studies & Criminology
The College of New Jersey

Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice & Criminology Chelsey Narvey

Chelsey Narvey

Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice & Criminology
Sam Houston State University

Writer, Documentary Researcher, and Content Producer Mai Perkins

Mai Perkins

Writer, Documentary Researcher, and Content Producer

Professor, Social Work Department Amy Watson

Amy Watson

Professor, Social Work Department
Wayne State University