Professor Siegler will discuss the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic’s leadership of the federal bail reform movement in this country. The clinic recently released its Freedom Denied study, the first national investigation of the federal pretrial detention system. Their report reveals that federal judges routinely violate the federal bail laws, leading to skyrocketing jailing rates and exacerbating racial disparities. In their court-watching investigation, they saw federal judges locking people in jail without lawyers and jailing people simply because they were too poor to pay for their freedom. Professor Siegler will discuss the interventions the Clinic is pursuing to enact systemic change and combat mass incarceration. This lunch talk will be a great primer for anyone considering taking Criminal Procedure II with Professor Siegler this spring, as that course also covers the federal bail system, along with every key stage of the criminal process through trial and sentencing. (Reminder: Crim Pro I is not a prerequisite for Crim Pro II.) 

This convening is open to all invitees who are compliant with UChicago vaccination requirements and, because of ongoing health risks, particularly to the unvaccinated, participants are expected to adopt the risk mitigation measures (masking and social distancing, etc.) appropriate to their vaccination status as advised by public health officials or to their individual vulnerabilities as advised by a medical professional. Public convening may not be safe for all and carries a risk for contracting COVID-19, particularly for those unvaccinated. Participants will not know the vaccination status of others and should follow appropriate risk mitigation measures. 

If you require special accommodations, please contact mattmaxon@uchicago.edu.