Bias Within the Criminal Justice System CLE

OVERVIEW

A presentation on bias within the criminal justice system, including a discussion of related topics such as equity and the mitigation of bias. This presentation will be given by Stephen M. Thomas.

Stephan M. Thomas is the Director of Partnerships and Replication at Common Justice, an organization that advances solutions to violence that transform the lives of those harmed and foster racial equity without relying on incarceration. Mr. Thomas is a former Senior King County Prosecutor and a national expert on leveraging the power of the prosecutor to implement alternatives to incarceration that hold people accountable for harm; break cycles of violence; and secure safety, healing, and justice for survivors and their communities. Mr. Thomas’ expertise is borne out of his lived experience growing up on the South Side of Chicago where he learned first hand that privilege and opportunity could enable him to overcome his childhood trauma.

• Mr. Thomas will provide historical context regarding both bias and lack of equity within the criminal justice system nationally. He will discuss how bias within the criminal justice system can be best addressed, including the implementation of alternatives to formal prosecution and/or incarceration—alternatives that hold people accountable for harm nonetheless.
• Mr. Thomas will discuss his experience as a former Senior King County Prosecutor and how this experience helped inform his expertise on how bias within the criminal justice system can be best addressed/mitigated.
• Mr. Thomas will speak on how empathy-building exercises and other training can be utilized when training prosecutors how to dismantle institutional racism.

This CLE will provide participants with specific proposals as to how bias within the criminal justice system may be mitigated, including the design of culturally relevant restorative justice initiatives and training related to the same.

AGENDA

Presenter

Stephen M. Thomas | Director of Partnerships and Replication, Common Justice

Moderator

Ashley M. Langley | CLE Chair, King County Chapter of Washington Women Lawyers

12:30 p.m. Welcome & Introductions

12:35 p.m. Stephan M. Thomas will present on the topic of bias within the criminal justice system, including a discussion of related topics such as equity and the mitigation of bias.

1:15 p.m. Q & A

1:25 p.m. Closing Remarks

***An evaluation form regarding today’s CLE will be emailed to you. Please fill-in the form, and return it to Ashley Langley, alangley@williamskastner.com.***