The American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section will host its 15th Annual Fall Institute November 17-18 in Washington, D.C. The conference theme is “Criminal Justice Next: Solutions to Move Equity and Fairness Forward.”
The United States’ racial reckoning, rising rates of violent crime, and the ongoing pandemic continue to apply extreme levels of pressure on an overburdened criminal justice system. Presentations at the Fall Institute will provide solutions to today’s issues that incorporate equity and fairness while not compromising public safety.
The conference will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 3:30 p.m. with a 90-minute town hall meeting on “White Collar Enforcement Priorities in the Upcoming Year.” Speakers will be Emma Burnham, acting chief at the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division in Washington, and Christine Wong, partner at Morrison & Foerster in San Francisco. Moderator will be Nathaniel B. Edmonds, partner at Paul Hastings LLP in Washington.
Cook County (Illinois) State’s Attorney Kim Foxx will deliver the opening address on Friday, Nov. 18, at 8:45 a.m. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta of the U.S. Department of Justice will also speak on Friday at the Lunch Break Keynote Awards Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Mark E. Wojcik, a professor at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, will receive the Raeder-Taslitz Award, presented to a law professor whose excellence in scholarship, teaching or community service has made a significant contribution to promoting public understanding of criminal justice, justice and fairness in the criminal justice system or best practices on the part of lawyers and judges.
Friday’s programming will feature two plenary sessions followed by breakout sessions to examine the issues. Topics include:
• Plenary Session: “Extending Justice: Strategies to Increase Inclusion & Reduce Bias”
- Breakout Session I: Track A — “Public Safety for Tomorrow: The Role of Mental Health Clinicians in Responding to People in Crisis”
- Breakout Session I: Track B — “Prosecuted Lawyers’ Perspectives in White Collar/Nonviolent Prosecution and Reentry”
- Breakout Session II: Track A — “From Policy to Practice: The New Diversion Standards and the Ongoing Search for Alternatives for Incarceration”
- Breakout Session II: Track B — “Breaking the Glass Ceiling in White Collar Crime & Punishment: The Rise of Women Offenders”
• Plenary Session: “Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing: A New Tool for Expanding Justice”
For additional information on the Criminal Justice Section or the 15th Annual Fall Institute, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_justice.
