‘Ethics at Work’ discusses the American criminal justice system – join for free on Zoom

Join Professor Jeffreys on Thursday, April 13, 4-5 p.m. for a free #ethicsatwork discussion on Zoom. “Must We Degrade? Human Dignity and the American Prison” will consider the nature and justification of punishment in the American criminal justice system.

Punishment in prisons, particularly maximum-security prisons, can be deeply degrading, subjecting people to brutal and harsh conditions. What is the ethical justification for treating people this way? To explore this question, we will discuss different meanings of the concept of human dignity, using them to ethically evaluate contemporary American punishment. The presenter will also draw on his experience of teaching philosophy in prisons and jails.

About Derek Jeffreys
Derek S. Jeffreys is Professor of Humanities and Religion at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. He did both his B.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on ethics and violence, and he is author of four books. His latest is America’s Jails: The Search for Human Dignity in an Age of Mass Incarceration.

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