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By Zoë Urcadez
Efforts to reform Spokane’s criminal justice system are under way. The Smart Justice Spokane Community Symposium will be held Saturday (Nov. 15) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gonzaga University School of Law.
“If we can do this in Spokane, other cities are going to be looking at Spokane as a model,” said Liz Moore, director of the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane and coordinator of the symposium.
This event will bring together community members, coalition partners and professionals who will be sharing information on how to effectively reform the criminal justice system. In its three years of existence, Smart Justice Spokane has successfully influenced a set of recommendations for criminal justice reform from the Spokane Regional Criminal Justice Commission.
The Symposium will feature presentations given by Julian Adler and Jennifer Kim. Adler is the director of the Red Hook Community Justice Center in Brooklyn, NY; Kim is the policy director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, Calif. These speakers will be focusing on smart justice in the community and the power of grassroots organizations, respectively.
According to Moore, more than 280 people have already registered for this event.
“I’m really, really excited that there are so many people willing to come forward and share their stories. There will be really significant, serious, possible changes in our community,” Moore said.
The Smart Justice Spokane Community Symposium is a free community event and lunch will be served at 1:10 p.m. Register at smartjusticewashington.org. Early registration is recommended.
