<March 23rd, 2017> Ever heard of Kalief Browder? Here’s a snapshot. At the age of 16, he was arrested for a petty theft–stealing a backpack, but he was never formally convicted. Kalief spent 3 years in Riker’s Island, a prison … Continue reading “Bail Will Prevail”
To what extent can you justify crime? What does this show us about empathy? We have all heard about the “nature vs. nurture” argument. How important are individual qualities compared to individual experiences? Can you put a brilliant child in an unstable, impoverished, and uneducated family and except him or her to be fine? When looking at this question of criminal justice, it’s important to recognize that certain individuals are biologically predisposed to certain aggressive tendencies. Moreover, these tendencies can by augmented by substance abuse. Add on mental health issues, and the idea that what your born with and what environment … Continue reading Empathizing with a Criminal
(Late update, but better later than never!) Distance from Princeton University to Trenton: 20 minutes. The difference? Incomparable. The cookie cutter, suburban homes, high-end shops, and the demographics of the pedestrians were completely different. They were suddenly replaced by abandoned homes boarded up with rotting wood, small local shops, and a prison in the center of the city. We arrived at our host site, El Centro, a center for family resources affiliated with the Catholic charity. We stayed on the 3rd floor, spreading ourselves on the floors of ESL classrooms. Safe arrival–check. Housing–check. Food? Yes, please! To prepare for the … Continue reading Trenton: Day 1
Portraying diverse narratives is one way to give full context when telling another group’s story. In her TED Talk, The Danger of A Single Story, the Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie warns about the dangers of single stories, whether they be in literature or in real life. According to Adichie, single stories pose imminent dangers by stereotyping groups of people and by pushing a single, and often incomplete, narrative onto individuals in that demographic. The only story I knew of Trenton was one of poverty and helplessness. I imagined abandoned buildings, trash on the streets, and broken down cars. Though Trenton’s … Continue reading A Gentrified (even Glorified?) Trenton
When was the last time you were hungry? I’m not talking about your stomach rumbling at four in the morning as you pull an all nighter to finish that PSET. I’m talking about real, painful hunger. I personally have never had to think twice about food — which has been a gift of being raised in a life of privilege. For the most part, I’ve been able to drop food into my parent’s shopping cart without ever thinking twice. Plus, I’ve been indoctrinated with a palate dominated by fresh fruit, lean meat, and plenty of vegetables. So when my Breakout group went … Continue reading The Plight of Food Deserts is Real
Before attending this talk by Shaka Senghor, I read an article in the Guardian titled: Shaka Senghor: the man with the American story no one wants to tell by Rose Hackman. This article discusses Senghor’s story and some of his accomplishment’s since being incarcerated. In the article, Hackman describes Senghor as “deeply intelligent and caring human being.” After listening to Senghor in person, I completely agree with this description. Here are a few of my thoughts in response to Senghor’s story and some of the themes he discussed. First, I was touched by Senghor’s opening. By orienting the audience to his story, … Continue reading Ayushi’s Thoughts on Senghor’s Talk
“Twenty-three years ago, at the age of 19, I shot and killed a man. I was a young drug dealer with a quick temper and a semi-automatic pistol.” Shaka Senghor started his TED talk with this short, not-too-promising bio, but his life path defies people’s expectations for how someone with such a background would end up. What background? Before hearing the whole story, most of us are probably already thinking about dangerous neighborhoods full of guns, drugs, and juvenile delinquents that roam the street. Senghor wasn’t like that. Not at first. An honor-roll student who aspires to be a doctor, Senghor was driven to pick up a gun for the first … Continue reading Just a Little Bit: on Shaka Senghor’s Talk
Hey! My name is William, I’m a first-year student and plan on majoring in either politics or philosophy! Thus far I am involved with the Princeton Debate team, Daily Princetonian Editorial Board, and Black Student Union Executive Board. I also began working at a local prison through P.R.E.P. (Princeton ReEntry and Education Program). We work with incarcerated individuals nearing the end of their sentences and assist them with interview prep, resumé writing, and other essential skills for entering the workplace. I am really looking forward to this Breakout Trip furthering my knowledge on our flawed criminal justice system in an effort to find ways … Continue reading Meet William!
Hello, friends. Here’s a little bit about me: My name is Ayushi Sinha, and I am a technology and business enthusiast studying Operations Research and Financial Engineering and Computer Science at Princeton University. I look to bridge the gap between disruptive technology and innovative research and entrepreneurship. But this blurb, is a little too formal … something I would write on a resume. But, since we are aiming to be as authentic as possible, here is a more personal blurb: Catch me at 4BZ Brunch, Study Break, or Hole-In-The-Wall Restaurant savoring… did you say Avocados? Nutella? Gelato? Smoothies? I’m a dilettante … Continue reading Ayushi’s Bio!
Listening to Shaka Senghor’s talk, I couldn’t help but be stunned at how casually he described not only two decades in prison, but also his years in solitary confinement. How could such a brutal and extreme experience be tidily summed up in a thirty minutes? How could I even begin to empathize with years and years of dehumanization? I was most impressed by Senghor’s strength and resilience, especially his choice to devote his life to activism and prison reform. I think in the infrastructure of incarceration, we have lost sight of the purpose of incarceration – not only to punish … Continue reading Reflection on Shaka Senghor’s Talk
Hi! My name is Michelle and I’m from Southern California. I’m a prospective Comparative Literature major and I spend my time with PUASL (Princeton’s American Sign Language club) and volunteering for a crisis hotline. After an internship at the district attorney’s office last year, I’m hoping to use this trip to learn about the “other side” of the criminal justice system, especially what happens after sentencing. I’m excited to go on this breakout trip to break out of the Princeton bubble and to think critically about our country. Continue reading About me: Michelle
Shaka Senghor–an accomplished author, an activist for prison reform… and a convicted felon who served a 19-year sentence. His childhood seemed picture perfect. Raised in a middle-class family and earning merits in school, Shaka’s dream of becoming a doctor was slowly taking shape, until it shattered into pieces. Despite the disguise, his childhood was filled with violence and abuse, to the point that he ran away from home and was integrated into the drug trade. Due to the influences of his environment, he always carried a sense of unsafety and comforted his fears by carrying a gun, which ultimately became … Continue reading 2.21.2017: Defeating the Statistics
Princeton Breakout: Criminal Justice, Trenton, Spring 2017 