May 02, 2018
Law and Justice
Social justice leader, litigator, and former executive director of Amnesty International USA Steven W. Hawkins held Beloit’s 2017-18 Weissberg Chair in International Studies.
Hawkins visited classes and presented talks about the U.S. criminal justice system and how it disproportionately targets minorities and the economically disadvantaged. “We live in a period of mass incarceration,” Hawkins said. “And we are the leading jailer in the world.” Among the facts Hawkins shared:
- 7 million people are incarcerated worldwide
- 25% of all prisoners worldwide are jailed in the U.S.
- Since 1980, U.S. spending on prisons has multiplied by 300%
- U.S. spending on prisons exceeds spending on education
- The state of Texas has become a model of prison reform in the U.S.
