The end of the 20th century saw the rise of both mass incarceration and originalism, the idea that judges must interpret the Constitution according to its supposed original meaning. In a new book, Justice Abandoned: How the Supreme Court Ignored the Constitution and Enabled Mass Incarceration, legal scholar Rachel Barkow highlights the conflict between these two developments. Using six Supreme Court cases, she shows how mass incarceration is at odds with the Constitution’s text and original meaning.
Join us at a live in-person event at NYU School of Law at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, with Barkow and former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who spent eight years overseeing prosecutions in the Southern District of New York. They will discuss what the cases in Justice Abandoned teach us about today’s Supreme Court, including the long-term ramifications of sacrificing constitutional protections for liberty in the name of public safety.
Speakers:
- Rachel Barkow, Charles Seligson Professor of Law, Faculty Director of Zimroth Center on the Administration of Criminal Law, NYU School of Law
- Preet Bharara, Former U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York; Partner, WilmerHale
- Moderator: Hernandez Stroud, Senior Fellow, Brennan Center Justice Program
Venue:
Vanderbilt Hall, NYU School of Law
40 Washington Square S
New York, NY 10012