Stevenson to focus on mass incarceration, excessive punishment in 2012 Bodiker Lecture

This year’s David H. Bodiker Lecture on Criminal Justice, featuring Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, will explore why the American prison population has skyrocketed in the last 40 years and seek a new paradigm for thinking about mass incarceration and excessive punishment.

Stevenson has won national acclaim for his work challenging the bias against the poor and people of color in the criminal justice system. Under his leadership, the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala. has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults. The initiative won a historic ruling in the Supreme Court of the United States, holding that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger are unconstitutional.

The David H. Bodiker Lecture on Criminal Justice was established to promote, improve, and advance the highest level of academic and professional interest in protecting the constitutional rights of the defendant in the criminal justice system. Each year, a featured lecturer of nationally known authority is invited to the College for a presentation before law students, professionals, and interested citizens.

Stevenson will deliver this year’s lecture, titled “Excessive Punishment and Mass Incarceration in an Era of Fear and Anger,” at noon Oct. 30 at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, 55 W. 12^th Ave.

Lunch will be provided to attendees, and registration before Oct. 19 is encouraged, as last year’s lecture was standing-room-only. Click here to reserve a seat.