Law Commons^™

Vol. 27 Masthead

University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Social Change

No abstract provided.

When Handcuffs Replace Detention Slips: Reducing The Criminalization Of Students By Filling In Gaps In Fourth Amendment Doctrine, Julia Eger

University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Social Change

The presence of School Resource Officers (SROs) in today’s schools puts students at risk of being arrested for a variety of non-dangerous behaviors that schools would otherwise address through the school discipline process. This issue disproportionately affects students of color, and their interactions with SROs detract from their education and harm their futures. Current doctrine makes it extremely difficult for students to challenge school-based arrests and their disparate racial impact. Many experts call for schools to eliminate SRO programs, but this is unlikely to happen in the near future. Therefore, solutions that mitigate the negative effects of these programs are …

Unions, Black Worker, And Criminal Records: Reckoning With The Labor Movement's History Of Racial Discrimination Should Lead It Into The Future, Ty Parks

University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Social Change

Since the 1970s, the Labor Movement has been debilitated by a dramatic decline in union membership. However, in recent years, public approval of unions and unionization rates have increased, indicating the potential for Labor’s resurgence. Ironically, the same demographic of workers that unions have historically excluded are the workers leading these unionization efforts. Labor statistics illustrate that Black and brown workers are predominantly responsible for the current dynamism in the Labor Movement. To capitalize on this resurgence and lead the Labor Movement into the future, this Comment urges Labor to prioritize mobilizing workers of color.

With respect to this charge, …

Caged Birds And Those That Hear Their Songs: Effects Of Race And Sex In South Carolina Parole Hearings, David M. N. Garavito, Amelia Courtney Hritz, John H. Blume

University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Social Change

When most incarcerated persons go before the parole board, they hope that the decision whether to release them will be based on their institutional record; put differently, that the board will consider the use of opportunities available in prison, rehabilitation, and likelihood of success outside the carceral environment. However, numerous persons with excellent records and reentry plans are denied parole every year. Why? The actual variables that influence parole board decision making are often a mystery; parole rejections are left unexplained or opaque. Empirical research examining what drives parole outcomes is scarce, yet this research is necessary given the power …