Common Justice

The Vera Institute of Justice teamed up with Chicago Ideas to reenvision the American prison system, and imagine a society in which prisons serve as rehabilitation facilities for communities and citizens, rather than as crippling institutions. 

The conversation combined performance, first-person testimony, and compelling dialogue that all looked into not only how the American prison system can cause “civil death,” but also what everyday citizens can do to help reshape the way in which incarceration affects the country.

Part Two: It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way—A moderated, multi-disciplinary conversation that looked into the power and potential of reimagining our prison system to emphasize human dignity over punishment.