Women in the criminal justice system will share their perspectives next week in a public symposium organized by Brandon University (BU) students.
The symposium will take place on Tuesday, April 9, from 3:30 to 8 p.m., in the Gathering Space of the John E. Robbins Library. Participants will include local women from a wide spectrum of justice careers, including a judge, a police constable, a corrections officer, re-integration specialists from the John Howard Society, and a specialist in restorative justice.
"During the year we studied how women end up involved in the criminal justice system by either being the victims of crimes or by getting in trouble with the law. Now, thanks to the generosity of women in our community who work in criminal justice, we will have the opportunity to find about their career choices, and the diverse roles that they play in the system," said Dr. Serena Petrella, an Associate Professor who chairs the Department of Sociology and teaches in Gender & Women's Studies program at BU. "We are excited to find out about how these women work every day to expand our notions of justice, and the innovative practices they are championing for positive change. And what a privilege to get to pick their brain and get first-hand career advice! I am grateful that BU makes possible such innovative learning opportunities."
Students from Dr. Petrella's class will conduct interviews with each of the professionals, with short breaks in between, and refreshments provided throughout the afternoon. A wine-and-cheese reception will follow the main program.
"This symposium has been entirely planned and organized by students, who have done a fabulous job of putting together a program that will be very beneficial for their studies, and also interesting and informative for the entire community," Dr. Petrella said. "Working through this process has been a wonderful experience for them, and we're excited to see it all come together on Tuesday."
Please contact Dr. Petrella, at PetrellaS@BrandonU.ca, with any accessibility considerations.
