Some 20 million ex-offenders confront significant hurdles to reenter society and pursue a law-abiding life. For example, many are denied the right to vote and to sit on a jury – rights embedded in our Constitution. They may face numerous barriers to reentry, including denial of governmental assistance designed to assist with finding employment. These collateral consequences affect ex-offenders’ families in a multitude of ways. For decades, communities of color have been disproportionately represented in the rates of felony convictions, and therefore are hardest hit.

Attendees will hear presentations from diverse stakeholders, including affected individuals, community and advocacy groups, government officials, and academics.

In addition to being open to the public, the event will be live-streamed at: https://www.youtube.com/user/USCCR/videos. The link is subject to change; any updates will be found at www.usccr.gov and Twitter and Facebook. There will also be a call-in line (listen only): 1-888-481-2844; conference ID: 6912715. If attending in person, we ask that you RSVP by email to: publicaffairs@usccr.gov.

Friday, May 19, 2017, 9:30 am – 3:00 pm EST

 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20425 (Entrance via F St. NW)

AGENDA

1. Introductory Remarks by Chair Catherine E. Lhamon: 9:30 – 9:40 am EST
2. Panel One: Overview of Collateral Consequences from Incarceration: 9:40 – 11:05 am

National experts provide an overview of the long-lasting effects of incarceration after a prison sentence has ended. Panelists will discuss how these continuing barriers impact recidivism and particular communities.

Speakers’ Remarks:

• Margaret Love, Executive Director, Collateral Consequences Resource Center
• Vikrant Reddy, Senior Research Fellow, Charles Koch Institute
• Traci Burch, Associate Professor of Political Science, Northwestern University
• John Malcolm, Vice President of the Institute for Constitutional Government, Heritage Foundation
• Naomi Goldberg, Policy and Research Director, Movement Advancement Project

III. Panel Two: Access to civil participation after incarceration: 11:10 am – 12:15 pm

National experts and professors discuss the barriers to civil participation following incarceration, specifically focusing on the right to vote and jury participation.

Speakers’ Remarks:

• Marc Mauer, Executive Director, The Sentencing Project
• Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow, Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, Heritage Foundation
• James Binnall, Assistant Professor of Law, Criminology, and Criminal Justice, California State University at Long Beach
• Anna Roberts, Assistant Professor, Seattle University School of Law and Faculty; Fellow, Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality

1. Break: 12:15 – 1:15 pm
2. Panel Three: Access to self-sufficiency and meeting basic needs: 1:15 – 2:30 pm

National experts discuss the barriers to self-sufficiency and meeting basic needs after incarceration. Panelists will focus on employment, housing and access to public benefits.

Speakers’ Remarks:

• Maurice Emsellem, Program Director, National Employment Law Project
• Kate Walz, Director of Housing Justice, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
• Amy Hirsch, Managing Attorney, North Philadelphia Law Center; Welfare, Aging and Disabilities Units, Community Legal Services
• Marc Levin, Director, Center for Effective Justice; Texas Public Policy Foundation; Right on Crime

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipartisan agency charged with advising the President and Congress on civil rights matters and issuing an annual federal civil rights enforcement report. For information about the Commission, please visit http://www.usccr.gov and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.