Description:

Jennifer Lackey is Northwestern’s Wayne and Elizabeth Jones Professor of Philosophy.

Drawing on her experience of teaching college courses at Stateville Correctional Center, as well as research on the benefits of prison education, Lackey will discuss why education, especially at the postsecondary level, should be provided in all prisons: it cuts recidivism rates dramatically, eases reentry through improved employment opportunities, significantly reduces violence and disciplinary infractions within prisons, and breaks down racial barriers among those who are incarcerated. Perhaps most remarkable of all, it helps create a community of inquiry, where curiosity, creativity, mentorship, and activism are prized.

This talk is part of the Evanston Northwestern Humanities Lecture Series, where Northwestern faculty share and discuss their research with the public in casual evening lectures at the Evanston Public Library. Co-presented by the Evanston Public Library and the Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities at Northwestern.