How Can Legislators and States Use Criminal Justice Policy to Mitigate the Harm of COVID 19?
Channel: R Street Institute
Date: 2020-05-05

As of April 21, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified upwards of 775,000 cases of COVID-19 nationwide, and over 41,000 Americans have died from the virus. In an effort to prevent further spread, state and federal policymakers alike have taken bold action, reshaping life as we know it to promote social distancing. But many have yet to fully embrace criminal justice reforms that can help limit the damage of COVID-19.

Our panel will look to the present, answering questions around criminal justice efforts to halt community spread, and to the future, addressing how we can develop a policy infrastructure that will help us better promote public health and safety in the long term.

Panelists:
• Ronnie Lampard, Senior Director of the Criminal Justice Task Force and Civil Justice Task Force, American Legislative Exchange Council
• Sheriff Daron Hall, Davidson County, Tennessee
• John Tilley, Senior Fellow, Council on Criminal Justice; and former Secretary, Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet
• Naomi Smoot Evans, Executive Director, Coalition for Juvenile Justice
• Arthur Rizer, Director of Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties, R Street Institute
• Patrick Plein, Policy Analyst, Nolan Center for Justice, American Conservative Union Foundation

Moderator:
• Emily Mooney, Resident Criminal Justice Policy Fellow, R Street Institute

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