Ronald Simpson-Bey & John Chisholm “Redefining Justice in America”
The keynote event for the Brown School’s Smart Decarceration Initiative will feature two individuals who are making a positive impact on prison reform.
In 1986, Ronald Simpson-Bey was convicted of assault with intent to murder and was locked away to serve a life sentence. Twenty-four years later, thanks in part to his own legal research, his conviction was overruled. Since being freed, he has worked tirelessly to advance prison reform efforts, most recently through JustLeadershipUSA, an organization with the ambitious goal to halve the nation’s correctional population by 2030.
Since being elected in 2007 as district attorney of Milwaukee County in Wisconsin, John Chisholm has implemented a host of initiatives designed to make the correctional system more equal, more just and more humane. He is committed to helping reverse mass incarceration policies and redress racial inequalities in his community.
Brought together for this program, they will consider what it will take to implement real justice under the law and transform inmates into productive citizens.
Moderating the conversation will be Glenn E. Martin, founder and director of JustLeadershipUSA. A leader in the criminal justice reform movement, Martin is frequently called upon by national news outlets to weigh in on related issues.