Criminal justice agencies are recognizing that even the best employees might manifest bias and, therefore, even the best agencies must be proactive to achieve fair and impartial justice. This course presents what is known about human biases and applies it to the criminal justice system. Guidance that is relevant to other criminal justice agencies addresses policy, training, supervision/ accountability, leadership, recruitment/ hiring, outreach to diverse communities, and measurement.
The fair and impartial criminal justice practice perspective reflects a new way of thinking about the issue of biased criminal justice practice, based on the science of bias. Social psychologists who study bias report that bias has changed in our society. As one scientist proclaimed, "This is not your grandmother's prejudice" (Fiske, 2008). These scientists have determined -- through voluminous research on the topic -- that bias today is less likely to manifest as "implicit bias." Social psychologists have shown that "implicit" bias can impact what people perceive and do; it works below conscious awareness and manifests even in people who consciously hold non-prejudiced attitudes. Like explicit bias, implicit bias can produce discriminatory actions.
The vast majority of criminal justice personnel are well-meaning individuals who are dedicated to serving all community members with fairness and dignity. Despite good intentions, however, their behaviors may still manifest biased criminal justice practice. It is likely that many of these professionals, like humans in every profession, are not fully cognizant of the extent to which race/ethnicity (and other factors, such as gender, sexual preference, socio-economic status, and religion) impact their decision-making.
The 1-day course covers the (1) science of bias and (2) implications of the science-based perspective for agency policy and practice. Attendees learn about the elements of a comprehensive agency program for promoting fair and impartial criminal justice practice.
Dr. Laurie Fridell, former Director of Research at Police Executive Research, is a national expert on biased policing. She has authored a number of chapters and books on the topic and is frequently quoted in the press. Her most recent book (Springer 2017) is Producing Bias-Free Policing: A Science-Based Approach. With financial support from the US Department of Justice and assistance from experts on policing and the science of bias, she has created the Fair and Impartial Policing training program. She and her cadre of trainers implement this training all over the US and Canada. Dr. Fridell is on faculty in the Department of Criminology at the University of South Florida.
Register by contacting: reynoldk@seattleu.edu or call 206-296-5480
$250 general
$150 alumni
$50 current students
Lunch is provided.
Location:
Seattle University Campus
901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
Student Center 160
Click here for campus map.