On April 6, students and members of the Fordham Law community gathered together to discuss progressive prosecution and criminal justice reform for the Spring 2022 Dialogue Day.
The event was the fifth in an ongoing series, which began in 2020 to provide a forum for Fordham Law students and faculty to exchange information about issues of concern.
The intimate discussion, titled “The Impact of Progressive Prosecution and Decarceration: Is the Landscape of Criminal Justice Reform Changing?,” included panelists Professor John Pfaff; Mia Jackson-Rosenthal, director of public interest student engagement and counseling; and author and crime researcher Thomas Abt, as well as three Fordham Law students.
At the event, Dean Matthew Diller spoke to the importance of open dialogue on difficult issues and emphasized that personal dimensions should be considered alongside research and scholarship. “Who we are and where we come from will shape how we view these issues,” said Diller.
Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Kamille Dean stated that Dialogue Day provides students with a unique opportunity to “come together as a community to discuss difficult issues.”
“We create a space to explore innovative ideas and challenging perspectives in a collegial environment,” said Dean. “Dialogue Day gets the conversation going and invites all of those at Fordham Law to contribute.
“Legal education is a prime platform to convey strategies for constructive dialogue. We are developing future leaders, and this is a transferable skill that will serve our students well,” Dean added.
Previous Dialogue Day discussion topics have included the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, affordable housing and the COVID-19 eviction moratorium, the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, and the impact of 9/11 on politics and policy in America.
Future Dialogue Days will be held once per semester as a part of Fordham Law’s community programs and events.
