Rewriting the Sentence II
Summit on Alternatives to Incarceration
OCTOBER 16-17, 2023 – Washington, D.C.
Join us at this two-day dedicated forum for judges, prosecutors, and other decision-makers to come together to confront the complex challenges of addressing mass incarceration and its harmful consequences, and achieve concrete and meaningful change by fostering the adoption of alternative sentencing programs and a reimagined approach to keeping our communities safe and thriving.
Rewriting the Sentence II (RTS II) will feature a stellar lineup of speakers, sessions, interactive roundtables, and discussions, and will be well-attended by a diverse representation of judicial, prosecutorial, pretrial, probation, and other legal officials from a variety of states as well as at the federal level.
This gathering will act as a space for meaningful interchange between leaders and practitioners already steeped in the alternatives-to-imprisonment landscape with those curious to engage further on ATI implementation. We hope to see individuals departing from this summit as ambassadors for these alternatives in their respective districts and communities.
RTS II will include virtual interactive sessions with incarcerated persons, and provide expert insights on issues such as procedural justice, trauma-informed care, behavioral science, and implicit bias. The event will feature a stellar lineup of speakers, including:
- United States Sentencing Commission Chairman Judge Carlton Reeves
- Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters
- Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, Founder and Director of the Institute for Trauma-Informed Systems Change at McLean/Harvard, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), who will deliver the Summit’s keynote address on how to transform the criminal legal system into a more trauma-responsive environment.
Acclaim for Past Summits
We need to prove going forward what I know in my bones is the truth, which is, these [alternative sentences] work, just as they worked in the states. And they put a human face on a criminal justice system that, for the last 25-30 years, is so desperately in need of a little humanity.
I have gained so much from the presentations and met people who I hope to bring to Oregon to help boost our efforts. …I have talked about additional ways to engage and pull other players into the Institute. Please know how inspired I am from the two days that fed my soul.
Yes, as a judge who handles approximately 1,000 federal sentencings per year, it has given me some ‘out-of-the-box’ ideas on how to approach sentencings.
We are challenged day in and day out to give voice for those who otherwise have no voice. Maybe they can’t tell their story – so then we have to pick it up and tell their story. This summit has just produced a framework for us that will enable us to better tell their stories.
Reform efforts such as those discussed at the summit can provide prosecutors and judges with greater flexibility and more tools to address the facts of individual cases with greater flexibility and more tools to address the facts of individual cases and defendants, seeking to serve the twin goals of punishment and deterrence while also serving society’s compelling interest in the rehabilitation of individuals.
I thought the summit was worthwhile for any Judge that sits on a criminal calendar. Each session was very thought-provoking and I will share the information with the other judges in my court. Thank you and those at the Institute for being great hosts.
I appreciate the invitation to the conference and, more importantly, appreciate that you had it.
Very impressive. I have reviewed countless alternatives during my years on the bench. This is one that is realistic.
The ASKS summit was an important step in our country’s journey towards reducing both crime and incarceration. The bipartisan nature of the event drives home that both left and right see the need to work together now to reform our criminal justice system.
Agenda & Speakers
To be announced!