JUST SOCIETY
Network Leadership
NETWORK CO-LEADS
Pajarita Charles, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison
paja.charles@wisc.edu
Phillipe Copeland, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Boston University
copelanp@bu.edu
Matt Epperson, PhD
Associate Professor
The University of Chicago
mepperson@uchicago.edu
Carrie Pettus-Davis, PhD
Associate Professor
Florida State University
cpettusdavis@fsu.edu
WORKING GROUPS
Abolition
Sophia Sarantakos, PhD, MSW
Antiracism
Aaron Gottlieb, PhD, MSW
Behavioral Health
Michael Fendrich, PhD
Policing
Caroline Harmon-Darrow, MSW
Jenny Afknich, MSW
Reentry
Peter Treitler, MSW
Social Work Profession
Erin Kerrison, PhD
Leah Jacobs, PhD, MSW
AFFILIATED INSTITUTIONS
Institute for Justice Research
& Development
Florida State University
Smart Decarceration Project
University of Chicago
Center for Social Development
Washington University in St. Louis
LOOKING BACK
During the past five years, members of the Promote Smart Decarceration network
and their colleagues have:
• Published numerous book chapters and
peer-reviewed articles, such as "Improving the
Evaluation of Adult Mental Disorders in the
Criminal Justice System With Computerized
Adaptive Testing," co-authored by network
co-lead Matt Epperson, in the Psychiatric
Services Journal
• Edited a book, Smart Decarceration:
Achieving Criminal Justice Transformation
in the 21st Century. Co-edited by network
co-leads, Matt Epperson and Carrie PettusDavis, the book contains 15 chapters by
researchers, practitioners, and advocates
providing context, concepts, and strategies
for achieving decarceration
• Developed a curriculum guide, "Smart
Decarceration Practice Behaviors for
Social Work Competencies," for teachers
and students of social work. The document
presents Smart Decarceration practices
within the framework of the Council on
Social Work Education's (CSWE) nine core
competencies
• Advocated for bail and prison reform at the
local, state, and federal levels, including
at the White House, where network co-lead
Carrie Pettus-Davis participated in a Prison
Reform Summit
• Delivered a Congressional briefing on
"Black Lives Matter: Social Work and the
Future of Policing," along with the Grand
Challenges to Achieve Equal Opportunity
and Justice and Eliminate Racism
• Convened two national conferences,
"From Mass Incarceration to Effective and
Sustainable Decarceration" in St. Louis
in 2015 and "Tools & Tactics: Promising
Solutions to Advance the Era of Smart
Decarceration" in Chicago in 2017
• Responded to COVID -19 by surveying
prisoners about their reactions to the
communication and containment strategies
employed by prison officials in relation
to the pandemic
• Participated in numerous virtual events,
including a both/and or either/or exercise
around social work and policing, hosted by
The Social Work Podcast, as well as a virtual
convening of the Prosecutors Research
Network, a virtual summit on the State of
Incarceration at Arizona State University,
and a virtual panel discussion on "The Role
of Prosecutorial Discretion in Driving Mass
Imprisonment," hosted by the University
of Utah
• Created new courses at schools including
the University of Maryland School of Social
Work and the University of Chicago School
of Social Service Administration
LOOKING AHEAD
Network members have articulated the following objectives for the next five years:
• Assemble a special issue of Criminal Justice and Behavior on Smart Decarceration
• Formulate plans for more explicitly addressing racial equity in their work
• Continue to advocate for their policy recommendations to:
1. Restrict the use of incarceration whenever possible
2. Reduce racial and economic disparities through decarceration efforts
3. Remove civic and legal exclusions for people with criminal charges and convictions
4. Reallocate resources to community-based supports
An Impact Report at Year 5 of the 10-Year Initiative | 29