The Journal of Gender, Race & Justice at the University Of Iowa College Of Law will be hosting a Spring Symposium February 24-25, 2017, entitled "Structurally (Un)sound: Implicit Unfairness in Legal Procedure and Protocol, and Disproportionate Impacts on Marginalized Groups."

This symposium will focus on the role United States criminal and civil law plays in perpetuating unequal legal outcomes for minority groups, even when the human actors involved are free of personal bias. Discussions of the disproportionate impact of policy decisions, police practices, and judicial guidelines on minority groups are welcome, as well as critical analysis of public policy decisions that subject discriminated groups to legal repercussions.

Some examples of topic areas include:

1) The generational failure of the court system to react to changes in eyewitness identification science.

2) Implicit bias in bond and bail setting in district courts.

3) The importation of racial and gender bias from other professions into the legal system by expert witness testimony.

Over two days, the symposium will seek to address the major themes of procedural injustice and bias, and is accepting both speakers and submissions for publication. Paper proposals focusing on procedural and systems based issues with law enforcement will receive preference. We are in the process of organizing topic groups and may be able to accommodate speakers and papers with a broader focus if submitted early.

Please provide:

1) A short (3-5 page) proposal abstract of your work.

2) Your contact information

3) Any special requirements or requests for information

Submissions should be made on Scholastica through The Journal of Gender, Race & Justice's submission platform or through ExpressO. Any questions can be directed to The Journal of Gender, Race & Justice through our email jgrj@uiowa.edu, attention Clinton Luth, Senior Symposium Editor.