Vera Institute of Justice

The Vera Institute of Justice is teaming 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. This Conversation will combine performance, first-person testimony and compelling dialogue that all look 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. Attendees can expect to walk away from this event with a greater understanding of the inherent problems with our prison system, what alternative systems might look like, and how to engage with creating change.