Works of Justice 118 - Bruce Western

PEN America

In this Works of Justice episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Bruce Western, a professor of Sociology and Social Justice and codirector of the Justice Lab at Columbia University. A leader in the field of criminal justice reform, Dr. Western has conducted extensive research on various issues within mass incarceration, including reentry, the effects of fines and fees, solitary confinement, and more. During the pandemic, he has worked alongside other experts in publishing the report "Decarcerating Correctional Facilities during COVID-19", as well as the whitepaper "Recommendations for Prioritization and Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine in Prisons and Jails". In this episode, Dr. Western discussed decarceration strategies that could improve public health outcomes for all, challenges with vaccine distribution inside correctional facilities, and the importance of harboring compassion and empathy particularly in times of crisis. Hosted and produced by Nicolette Natale with support from Frances Keohane, Caits Meissner, Robert Pollock