92Y to Hold Virtual Panel on Criminal Justice Reform

On Tuesday, May 19th, 92nd Street Y will host a virtual continuing education panel on criminal justice reform with a discussion on the coronavirus health crisis that is devastating the prison system, wrongful convictions, and their catastrophic consequences.

Moderated by journalist and Yale Law School lecturer Emily Bazelon, the panel will feature music executive and criminal justice advocate Jason Flom, as well as Noura Jackson – a young woman who spent years behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit.


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As a renowned journalist and senior research fellow at Yale Law School, moderator Emily Bazelon has extensive knowledge about the need for criminal justice reform. Her latest book, the New York Times bestseller Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration, was released in paperback on May 5th. A runner-up for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, Charged focuses on prosecutors and the history of “tough on crime” politics in the U.S. Weaving together intimate personal narratives with deep research on bias and racism in the American criminal justice system, the book documents the enormous power that prosecutors wield both in the courtroom and beyond. 

Bazelon is also a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and co-host of the Slate podcast Political Gabfest. Her work focuses extensively on the law, women, and family issues – making her one of the nation’s leading voices on issues surrounding the lives caught up in the criminal justice system.


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Wrongfully convicted of murder in 2005, Jackson spent 11 years in prison despite her repeated pleas of innocence, no physical evidence linking her to the crime scene, and DNA tests that excluded her as a suspect. Since her release in 2016, she has worked tirelessly for the rights of those who have been wrongfully convicted as well as those who are navigating the complex process of re-entering society after being incarcerated. She has served as the president of Meet Your Mentor, the re-entry chairperson for the Justice Impact Bar, and the public relations director for Women Empowered to Become Self-Sufficient (WEBS). 

The founder and CEO of Lava Media (which includes Lava Music and Lava for Good Podcasts), Flom has been recognized for his philanthropy and his passion for criminal justice reform. Over the years, he’s worked closely with policy makers, activist groups, celebrities, and other philanthropists to shine a light on the stories of those who have been wrongfully convicted and petition for their cases to be re-examined. In his Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom podcast (which will launch its 10th season on May 20th), Flom has interviewed Brendan Dassey, Rodney Reed, and hundreds of others who have found themselves imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit. 


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During the discussion, Jackson will unravel the saga of her own wrongful conviction. Joined by Flom and Bazelon, the discussion will also cover the current state of the criminal justice system during the coronavirus pandemic, what needs to change both now and in the future in order to save lives, and what others can do to help. 

The panel will take place online at 7 p.m. EST. For more information or to buy tickets: https://www.92y.org/event/wrongful-convictions-with-jason-flom 

Find the Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom podcast here

Find Charged by Emily Bazelon here

About 92Y

For 145 years, 92nd Street Y has been serving its communities and the larger world by bringing people together and providing exceptional, groundbreaking programs in the performing and visual arts; literature and culture; adult and children’s education; talks on a huge range of topics; health and fitness; and Jewish life.


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Founded 145 years ago to serve the Jewish people, 92nd Street Y promotes individual and family development and participation in civic life within the context of Jewish values and American pluralism. As a nonprofit community and cultural center, 92nd Street Y seeks to create, provide and disseminate programs of distinction that foster the physical and mental health of human beings throughout their lives, their educational and spiritual growth and their enjoyment. 92nd Street Y reaches out beyond its core constituency of American Jews to serve people of diverse racial, religious, ethnic and economic backgrounds, seeking partnerships that leaven our programs and broaden our influence

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