Beyond Bars: Changing the Narrative on Criminal Justice

Please join us as Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, presents a panel on Wednesday, Feb. 26 on the U.S. criminal justice system with experts and guest speakers from TV entertainment.

We’ll discuss how people involved in the justice system are depicted on screen, and how the entertainment industry can help address the flaws in the system as well as the stigma attached.

Zach Calig, writer for the ABC legal drama For Life, will be on the panel.

Joining Calig are Dan Birman, an award-winning documentary producer who's working on a Netflix film that explores juvenile justice issues centering on the case of Cyntoia Brown; Lovisa Stannow, executive director of Just Detention International; and Aly Tamboura, manager in the criminal justice reform program at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Screenwriter John August (Aladdin, Big Fish), co-host of the podcast "Scriptnotes," will serve as moderator.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, the American criminal justice system holds almost 2.3 million people in 1,719 state prisons, 109 federal prisons, 1,772 juvenile correctional facilities and 3,163 local jails.

There will be a light reception before the panel begins at 7pm.

Parking: Enter parking structure on Masselin Ave. between Wilshire and 6th St. Validation at check-in. From the lot, use door at back of building. The event is being held on the mezzanine level.