Between 1980 and 2008, the number of people incarcerated in the United States quadrupled — from roughly 500,000 to 2.3 million people. Today, one in every 31 adults, or roughly 3.2% of the U.S. population, is under some form of correctional control. 

The law, policies and procedures behind the rise in the number of those incarcerated are the focus of the symposium “Confronting the Mass Incarceration Crisis in the United States” that will take place from 9:30 am to 5 pm on Friday, March 28, 2014 at Rutgers School of Law–Newark. The symposium is hosted by the Rutgers Law Review and the Rutgers Institute for Professional Education

Among the issues to be covered are the increase in the use of the criminal justice system to address social problems, conditions of confinement, and how barriers facing the incarcerated upon reentry increase the likelihood of re-incarceration. The symposium also will examine approaches for reforming the system from judicial, legislative and direct advocacy perspectives.

Registration is required at www.rutgerscle.com. The event is free for those not seeking CLE credit; use NOCLE195 promo code. For those seeking CLE credit, the fee is $125. The program will provide 6.0 CLE credit hours (NJ, NY) and 5.0 (PA).

Speakers will include:

  • Vincent Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights
  • The Honorable Mark Bennett, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Iowa
  • Mark Osler, Professor, University of St. Thomas School of Law
  • Alexander Shalom, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU of New Jersey
  • David Mills, Professor, Stanford Law School
  • Norris Henderson, Founder and Executive Director of V.O.T.E.
  • Dr. Todd Clear, Provost of Rutgers University–Newark
  • James Bell, Founder and Executive Director, W. Haywood Burns Institute
  • Rick Jones, Executive Director and Founding Member, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
  • Michael Correiro, Executive Director and Founder, New York Center for Juvenile Justice (invited)

The law school’s Eric Neisser Public Interest Program and student chapter of the American Constitution Society are symposium co-sponsors.