Tomorrow, Nov. 30: Joint Conference on Ethics and Human Rights in U.S. Prisons
November 30- December 1, 2017
“Behind Bars: Ethics and Human Rights in U.S. Prisons”
A conference organized by the Human Rights Program, the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics and the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics
Harvard Medical School campus
The United States leads the world in incarceration. The “War on Drugs” and prioritizing punishment over rehabilitation has led to mass imprisonment, mainly of the nation’s most vulnerable populations: people of color, the economically disadvantaged and under-educated, and those suffering from mental illness. Although these social disparities are striking, the health discrepancies are even more pronounced. What can be done to address this health and human rights crisis?
This conference will examine various aspects of human rights and health issues in our prisons. In collaboration with educators, health professionals, and those involved in the criminal justice system—including former inmates, advocates, and law enforcement—the conference will clarify the issues, explore possible policy and educational responses, and establish avenues for action.