Incarceration Nation, an event to benefit the Legal Aid Justice Center, addressed the question of why our prison system is so overburdened, racially disparate, and fundamentally inhumane - and steps that can be taken to encourage change. The evening featured an episode from the documentary series 30 Days, entitled “Jail”, by Morgan Spurlock of the award-winning film, Supersize Me. Following the film, Master of Ceremonies John Grisham moderated a panel discussion of experts on the prison reform movement, including: R. Dwayne Betts, poet and author of, A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival and Coming of Age in Prison, David Fathi, Director of Human Rights Watch’s U.S. program. Prior to the film The Honorable Jim Webb, U.S. Senator from Virginia, made a video address to the crowd of over 700 people.

This event was held at the Paramount Theater in Downtown Charlottesville at 7:00 PM on Monday, October 19, 2009.

Watch the event coverage from NBC29 News.

Read the follow-up story in the Charlottesville Daily Progress.

View a Short Video about our Virginia Institutionalized Persons Project (17 minutes).