SANTA CLARA, Calif., October 1, 2019 – The effects of the risk assessment tools utilized across the criminal justice system will be discussed by expert panelists at a free, all-day symposium on October 14 at Santa Clara University School of Law.
The symposium is being held in Room 102 Charney Hall, on SCU’s campus, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050, October 14 from 8:15 am to 5:00 p.m.
Media are welcome to attend and are asked to RSVP to Deborah Lohse (below).
The panels will examine the effects and implications of using risk assessment tools—such as predictive policing; artificial intelligence bail-assessment or recidivism-measurement tools— in criminal justice and law enforcement on marginalized communities. Panelists include experts in risk assessment, data analysis, law enforcement, sociology, and criminology.
Keith Wattley JD ’99, founder and executive director of UnCommon Law and an Obama Foundation Fellow, will deliver the event’s keynote address.
The panel moderators are:
- David Ball, Santa Clara Law professor of criminal law
Kelley Kulick, deputy public defender for Santa Clara County and Santa Clara Law lecturer in criminal law - Elsa Chen, Santa Clara University associate professor of political science and vice provost for faculty development
- Irina Raicu, director of the internet ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University
“Risk assessment is a part of our criminal justice system,” said Nikki Pope, managing director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara Law, which is co-sponsoring the symposium with the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education. “We need to understand how biases within these risk assessment tools affect vulnerable people within our communities.”
“Our mission at Santa Clara University calls us to create a more just and humane world,” said Aaron Willis, director of the Bannan Forum in the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education. “Hosting this symposium to discuss the critical questions around the use of risk assessment tools in our criminal justice system exemplifies that transformative drive.”
Lawyers who attend the free symposium can receive up to 6 hours of general continuing legal education credit. For more information on the symposium and to register to attend, visit the event website.
Media Contact Deborah Lohse | Associate Director, SCU Media and Internal Communications
(408) 554-5121 (o) | (408) 768-6898 (c)
