Journalism is one of the most powerful mediums in storytelling, education and shining a light on systemic injustices. Criminal justice reporting, in particular, can be crucial to bridging a gap between those who have experienced the system and those who have not. Journalists covering this beat educate the masses about complex legal systems and processes, and often bring to the forefront underrepresented issues. Join us for a roundtable discussion with renowned journalists who cover the criminal legal system.

This year (2020) marks the 30th anniversary of President George H.W. Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. Jennifer Mathis, Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy at Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, John Petrila, Vice President of Adult Policy at Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and Holly Stiles, Litigation Counsel at Disability Rights North Carolina participate in a panel; and question and answer. The event was moderated by Dr. Marvin Swartz.

Dr. Ashley Nellis, Senior Research Analyst at the Sentencing Project, discusses her new book, The Meaning of Life: The Case for Abolishing Life Sentences, co-authored with Marc Mauer, Executive Director of the Sentencing Project. They describe their data concerning the growth of the "lifer" population in the U.S., and why we should question this trend as a matter of law and policy. The "lifer" population has continued to grow amidst historically low crime rates and reductions in the overall prison population.

A panel discussion of Alexandra Natapoff's book, "Punishment Without Crime: How Our Massive Misdemeanor System Traps the Innocent and Makes America More Unequal". The book describes the powerful influence that misdemeanors exert over the entire U.S. criminal system. It was selected by Publishers Weekly as a Best Book of 2018. Natapoff is a professor at UCI Law School and has previously served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in Baltimore, Maryland.

Professor Rachel Barkow discusses her new book, Prisoners of Politics: Breaking the Cycle of Mass Incarceration. Rachel Elise Barkow is the Segal Family Professor of Regulatory Law and Policy and Faculty Director, Center on the Administration of Criminal Law at NYU. She was a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission from 2013 until January 2019. In her book, Barkow argues that reform guided by evidence, not politics and emotions, will reduce crime and reverse mass incarceration. Barkow argues for an institutional shift toward data and expertise.

Yusef Salaam and Raymond Santana, two members of the Exonerated Five, formerly known as the Central Park Five, tell their stories to a Duke Law audience. They are the subjects of the Netflix series "When They See Us," which focuses on the conviction and later exoneration of Mr. Salaam, Mr. Santana and three others in the infamous Central Park jogger case. Dean Kerry Abrams welcomes the panelists to Duke Law and Professor Brandon Garrett interviews Mr. Salaam and Mr. Santana about their experiences. A question and answer period follows.

Professor Brandon Garrett and Daniel Bowes of the North Carolina Justice Center lead a discussion of driver's license suspensions in North Carolina. Also speaking are individuals who have had their driver's license suspended about how the experience affected their lives.

Sponsored by the Duke Criminal Law Society.

What are the stakes when forensics go wrong? Keith Harward tells his story: he was exonerated by DNA testing, but spent 33 years in prison in Virginia for a murder he did not commit, based on multiple erroneous bite mark comparisons. Peter Neufeld, co-founder and co-director of the Innocence Project joins in the conversation. M. Chris Fabricant, who directs special litigation for the Innocence Project, moderates. Prof. Brandon Garrett introduces the panel.

Research has shown a link between cruelty towards animals and other violent crimes, namely domestic violence. Abusers may use a companion animal as a tool of their abuse and often times victims who stay in the homes of their abusers do so because they are concerned for the safety of their animals. The first speaker was Join Elizabeth Herron, legal advocate with the Durham Crisis Response Center and Marie Inserra, EEO Counsel for Durham County Human Resources.