Panel to explore America’s high incarceration rate
A panel of distinguished speakers will explore the reasons for America’s high rate of incarceration during a 90-minute discussion scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 20 in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall.
More than 2 million Americans are in prison. The United States has about 5 percent of the world’s population, yet it accounts for about 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. Moreover, America incarcerates more of its citizens than any other country at a financial cost of about $80 billion.
Why are so many Americans behind bars? What does the high incarceration rate say about our society? What, if anything, could be done to reduce the number of prisoners?
Sponsored by the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy, the discussion will be moderated by visiting fellow Carolyn Deady, who recently published “Incarceration and Recidivism: Lessons from Abroad,” a report that explores reasons for the high prison populations in America and looks to other countries with low prison rates to understand what they are doing right.
Audience members will be encouraged to ask questions and offer opinions.
Panelists include:
- A.T. Wall, director of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections
- David M. Zlotnick, professor of law at Roger Williams University School of Law
- Scott Fichera, probation officer for the Massachusetts Trial Court, District Court Division, Fall River
For more information, or to RSVP, contact the Pell Center at (401) 341-2927 or pellcenter@salve.edu.
