Eastern State Penitentiary was operational from 1829 until its closing in 1971, and was one of American's most expensive and famous prisons.  This Philadelphia landmark not only represents a milestone in American Criminal Justice, but also serves as a chilling reminder of the role that jails and prisons continue to play in American society today. Join GA Henisha on a tour of the site, as well as their new exhibition "Prisons Today", and a discussion after. The exhibition explores the intersection of mass incarceration with race, class, gender, age, politics, economics, and so much more. 

Did you know that in the United States, over 2.2 million people are incarcerated? Or that we as a nation spend about $80 billion on incarceration? Or that nearly 1 in every 30 children had an incarcerated parent? This exhibition will pose the questions: What are we paying for? What is the goal of the criminal justice system? Which communities are most impacted by mass incarceration? Who benefits from prison expansion? and What can we do to ensure a fair and humane criminal justice system? 

For more information, see this link: https://www.easternstate.org/visit/regular-season/history-artist-installations/prisons-today 

For questions, Ask GA Henisha at henishap@sp2.upenn.edu

NB: Timing is flexible and may change, date most likely will stay the same.