Urban Readers Series: Matthew Epperson - "Smart Decarceration" - Ronald Simpson-Bey

The Urban Readers Series presents Matthew Epperson, the editor of Smart Decarceration: Achieving Criminal Justice Transformation in the 21st Century, discusses this groundbreaking new work with one of its contributors, Ronald Simpson-Bey.
At the Co-op
RSVP HERE (Please note that your RSVP is requested, not required)
About the book: Smart Decarceration is a forward-thinking, practical volume that provides innovative concepts and concrete strategies for ushering in an era of decarceration -- a proactive and effective undoing of the era of mass incarceration. The text grapples with tough questions and takes up the challenge of transforming America's approach to criminal justice in the 21st century. This timely work consists of chapters written from multiple perspectives and disciplines including advocates, researchers, academics, practitioners, and persons with incarceration histories who are now leaders in the movement.
The primary purpose of this book is to inform both academic and public understanding -- to place the challenge of smart decarceration at the center of the current national discourse, taking into account the realities of the current sociopolitical context -- and to propose beginning action steps. This is achieved by first outlining and addressing questions such as: What if incarceration were not an option for most?; Whose voices are essential in this era of decarceration?; What is the state of evidence for solutions?; How do we generate and adopt empirically driven reforms?; How do we redefine and rethink justice in the United States? Smart Decarceration offers a way forward in building a field for decarceration through provocative but reasoned challenges to existing approaches to criminal justice reforms, lively focus on potential solutions, and action steps for reform.
About the editor: Matthew W. Epperson is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Smart Decarceration Initiative. His research centers on developing, implementing, and evaluating interventions to reduce disparities in the criminal justice system. His primary area of focus is understanding and addressing person- and place-level risk factors for criminal justice involvement among persons with mental illnesses. Professor Epperson’s interests also include developing conceptual, evidence-based approaches to effective and sustainable decarceration. His scholarship and teaching aim to build and advance the capacity of the social work profession to address these challenges and opportunities for criminal justice transformation. He is Co-Leader of the Promote Smart Decarceration network, through the Grand Challenges for Social Work Initiative. He has over 15 years of clinical and administrative social work experience in behavioral health and criminal justice settings.
About the interlocutor: Ronald D. Simpson-Bey is a national leader in the decarceration movement currently working as the Alumni Associate for JustLeadershipUSA. He is also a 2015 LwC Fellow with JLUSA committed to cutting the national prison population in half by 2030. Ronald serves as a board member for the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA); the board of the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency (MCCD); and the board of directors for L.U.C.K. Inc. in Detroit, MI. Ronald is steering team member of the Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration (MI-CEMI) and Nation Outside organizations as well as a co-founder and advisory board member of the Chance For Life (CFL) organization in Detroit. He is an engaged, thoughtful, and creative leader, founding many enrichment programs rooted in transformation, redemption, and self-accountability. Ronald has attended Eastern Michigan University, Mott Community College, and Jackson Community College. Ronald is on Twitter @BeySimpson, and can be reached at ronald@justleadershipusa.o
About the series: In collaboration with the Seminary Co-op Bookstores, UChicago Urban has launched the Urban Readers Series, an author-centered series of readings and conversations at the Seminary Co-op. At Urban Readers, people from all over Chicago can hear from the university’s scholars and connect with one another over urban issues, histories and futures. All books in the series are written by UChicago’s faculty, alumni, and affiliates.