The United States has by far the world’s largest population of incarcerated people. Our criminal legal system doles out punishment—particularly to people from marginalized groups—on an unfathomable scale. At the same time, it fails to secure public safety, instead perpetuating inequalities and recidivism. Why does the United States see punishment as the main response to social harm, and what are the alternatives? Join four contributors — academics and activists — from the new book of collected essays, Excessive Punishment: How the Justice System Creates Mass Incarceration, for a moderated discussion.

Panelist include:

Jennifer M. Chacón, Bruce Tyson Mitchell, Stanford Law School

Asia Johnson, Manager of Storytelling and Media Productions, Zealous

Michael Mendoza, Director of Advocacy, Anti-Recidivism Coalition

David Sklansky, Stanley Morrison Professor of Law; Faculty Co-Director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center

Robert Weisberg, Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr. Professor of Law; Faculty Co-Director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center

Lauren-Brooke Eisen, Senior Director, Brennan Center’s Justice Program and Editor, Excessive Punishment