CrimeSpotters
9 a.m. to 12 p.m., An invitation-only event designed for visiting high school students.
Designed for high school students, this event allows them to join us for an investigative day, where they will have the opportunity to experience facets of law-related careers at the College, including a demonstration on the ethical issues related to emerging technologies in the realm of criminal justice. Following the workshop, students will take a brief College tour as they participate in an interactive scavenger hunt through the Social Science and Justice Career Fair, where they will meet and talk with visiting representatives from law fields, including the FBI, police, crime labs and more.
Facilitator: Deirdre Garrity-Benjamin, assistant professor, Social Science and program coordinator, Geographic Information Systems
Social Science/Justice Career Fair
9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bonnell Lobby
Come out and meet potential employers from local, city and state police; probation and parole; housing authority; paralegal recruiting agencies; law firms; and many more private and government agencies. Students are encouraged to bring their résumés and come dressed to impress!
Politics Café: Improving Media Literacy in an Era of Fake News and Political Distortion
9:40 to 11:10 a.m., Center for Business and Industry, Room C2-28
Recent polls suggest that Americans have lost faith in the news media. Gallup reported that the public’s confidence in the media has been as low as 32 percent in recent years. These numbers have been driven down by a number of prominent “fake news” stories that originated within various traditional media outlets then spread at hyperspeed through social media only later to be debunked. In addition, various cable news outlets package stories for viewers of particular ideological dispositions. These forms of “entertainment news” are highly popular, but they operate outside the rigorous standards of traditional journalism. In competition for ratings and clicks from niche viewers, various forms of selection bias, false balance, sensationalism and confounding bias have produced a high level of political distortion. The presenters will discuss the phenomenon of fake news, political distortion and possible methods for improving media literacy.
Panelists: Osvil Acosta-Morales, Ph.D., associate professor and department chair, History, Philosophy and Religious Studies; Gary Mullin, associate professor, Political Science; Ralph Faris, Ph.D., professor, Sociology; and Lance Roxas, Ph.D., assistant professor, Political Science
*Approved substantive CLE – 1.5 credits
Framed and Locked Up: Racial Disparities in the Justice System
11:20 a.m. to 12:50 p.m., Center for Business and Industry, Room C2-28
According to The Sentencing Project, “1 in every 10 black men in his 30s is in prison or jail on any given day.” Racial bias in the criminal justice system is pervasive and continues to plague the Philadelphia community at large, as well as affect our students’ life outcomes. In this panel, participants will watch clips from Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us,” an award-winning miniseries that explores the racial inequalities within the justice system. Panelists will explore the themes of racial profiling, coercive interrogation tactics, racial disparities in legal representation, racial overcharging and oversentencing, prison culture and the challenges of re-entry.
Moderators: Debonair Oates-Primus, Ph.D., assistant professor, English and coordinator, the Diversity Fellowship program and Black Studies program; and Boi-Lucia Gbaya-Kanga, assistant professor, English
*Approved substantive CLE – 1.5 credits
2020 Census
1 to 2:30 p.m., Center for Business and Industry, Room C2-28
Join Noemi Mendez from the U.S. Census Bureau to discuss the importance of the 2020 Census. The data collected by the Census is so important that it is mandated as part of the Constitution. This session will focus on the legal umbrella of the Census Bureau, the data collected, and the importance of this data to equitable distribution of public funds and representation.
Moderator: Deirdre Garrity-Benjamin, assistant professor, Social Science and program coordinator, Geographic Information Systems
*Approved substantive CLE – 1.5 credits
A Diverse City, Divided: The Impact of Philadelphia’s Racial Residential Segregation in Our Classrooms and Beyond
2:40 to 4:10 p.m., Center for Business and Industry, Room C2-28
Did you know that Philadelphia is among the most racially and ethnically diverse cities in the nation? But did you also know that Philadelphia has been consistently in the top five most segregated cities in the nation for a number of years? In this data-driven, highly interactive presentation, we will examine the patterns of racial residential segregation in Philadelphia and the paradox of being simultaneously diverse but segregated. Then we will consider the cause, and most importantly, the consequences of racial residential segregation in relation to our students, faculty and the institution as a whole. This session counts toward the Diversity Certificate.
Presenter: Faye Allard, Ph.D., associate professor, Sociology
*Approved substantive CLE – 1.5 credits