Arizona State University is hosting a unique three-day event as we continue working toward the goals of creating awareness, expansion of programming, collaboration, and advocacy for children and families. This year’s theme Leading the Future: Young People as Partners for Change focuses on elevating the voices of children, youth, and families whose lives have been impacted by incarceration.
The conference includes plenaries, panels, focused sessions and workshops, many of which include youth voices and those with lived experience, in three main tracks:
● Understanding the effects of incarceration on children, youth, their families, and caregivers
● Connecting children, youth, and families during and after incarceration
● Supporting and centering the voices and experiences of children and youth
Three Plenary sessions with the following featured speakers will highlight the conference:
On March 30, 2022, Peter Scharff Smith, Professor in the Sociology of Law, The Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law, Oslo University will be presenting the topic The Children and Families of Prisoners – from research to reform. Peter has studied history and social science, holds a PhD from the University of Copenhagen and has also done research at the University of Cambridge and at the Danish Institute of Human Rights. Peter has undertaken several studies on the families and children of prisoners and has published books and articles within this field.
On April 6, 2022, Echoes of Incarceration, an award-winning documentary initiative produced by youth who are directly impacted by the criminal justice system will be sharing their holistic approach to incorporating youth voice. Since 2008 Echoes has trained youth with incarcerated parents in filmmaking and advocacy and created documentaries and video journalism about the impact of mass incarceration on children.
On April 13, 2022, Sarai Flores and Isabel Coronado will be presenting Intergenerational Trauma and Resiliency: A Mother and Daughter Journey In this presentation, a formerly incarcerated mother and her daughter discuss the intergenerational trauma and resiliency that has impacted their lives through witnessing and experiencing mass incarceration and how they use their advocacy to change the criminal legal system. Learn more about trauma-informed practices and current federal legislation impacting children of incarcerated parents.
More in-depth information on these featured speakers can be found here.