Webinars

Confronting the Registry: The History and Consequences of U.S. Sex Offense Laws
Tuesday, July 7, 2021 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM CT
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Philadelphia, Searchlight Series addressing issues in contemporary corrections
Join us as we take a look at the history and consequences of well-intentioned legislation and the human and community impact of sex offense registries. Since 1996, all 50 U.S. states and Washington D.C. require people who have been convicted of sex offenses to be placed on a registry. Over the last 25 years, as laws expanded, the number of people on these registries grew exponentially. Many states are keeping people on registries longer than ever before, sometimes for life, and it has become increasingly difficult to be removed from them. At the same time, a growing amount of research shows that sex offense registries have not met the goals they originally set out to achieve.

LINK TO WATCH: Watch the event here.

The Chicago 400 Alliance: fighting conviction registries & housing banishment
Thursday, October 29, 2020, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CT
Sponsored by the Office of Civic Engagement, Northwestern University in conjunction with One Book One Northwestern 2020-2021: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson.
Learn about the Chicago 400 Alliance and take immediate action to address the carceral crisis caused by public conviction registries and housing banishment laws, which force people—very disproportionately Black men—into homelessness and re-incarceration. Justice advocates will give an overview of how these discredited policies undermine community health by keeping thousands of people stuck in prison past their release date and trapped in an artificial housing crisis. Attendees will also hear from Northwestern undergraduates (interns through the Engage Chicago program) who contributed to this ongoing grassroots campaign over the past several months and learn of opportunities to get involved. This event is free. Participants must register.

ORGANIZERS: Maayan Abouzaglo, Chelsea Guzman, Diaz Mathis, Arianna Ponce, Anna C. Reosti and Laurie Jo Reynolds
EVENT CONTACT: Ruth Martin Curry
CAMPAIGN INFO CONTACT: Info at Chicago 400 Alliance
LINK TO WATCH: Watch the event here.

PRESS:
The Chicago 400 Highlight Need to Reform Registry and Banishment Laws
Chicago 400 Alliance shares the difficulty of finding housing while on a conviction registry

Chicago 400 on a webinar, illustration by Nick Jackson