Criminal Justice System Transformation Event Scheduled at Park University, Emphasizing Women's Roles
The University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Department of Criminal Justice Administration are hosting a roundtable discussion on April 5, 2023, at the Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel, Parkville Campus, Park University. The event, titled "Women Transforming Criminal Justice," aims to discuss underrepresentation of women in criminal justice, explore cultural strongholds, and learn from accomplished women in the field.
Notable participants include Anne Precythe, director of the Missouri Department of Corrections, Sandy Karsten, director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, and Carol Getty, Ph.D., professor emerita of criminal justice administration at Park University and former chair of the U.S. Parole Commission.
Other attendees include Maj. Kari Thompson, commander of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department's Community Engagement Division, Tiffany Leuty, J.D., 7th District defender for the Missouri State Public Defender, Kaitlynn Donnelly, J.D., assistant prosecuting attorney in Platte County, Mo., and Sgt. Savana Watkins, a member of the Missouri Department of Corrections and a Park University junior majoring in criminal justice administration/corrections.
The roundtable will also feature Regina Funk, treatment court manager for the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in Clay County, Mo., Zim Schwartze, chief of the Missouri Capitol Police, and C. Ann Mesle, J.D., retired 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County, Mo., judge and former member of Park University's Board of Trustees.
The event will consist of presentations followed by a question and answer session with the panelists. The roundtable discussion is open to the public and will take place from 9 a.m. to noon.
Events relating to criminal justice reform, survivor leadership, and systemic change emphasize the importance of survivor perspectives and community-based approaches in transforming justice systems. Hon. Mary F. Weir, an Associate Circuit Judge in the 16th Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri, Kansas City, who participates in forums on human trafficking and justice issues, is one such figure in Kansas City.
For more detailed information about the specific "Women Transforming Criminal Justice" roundtable in Kansas City—including the list of participants and the event schedule—you may want to consult local Kansas City legal organizations, criminal justice reform groups, or official announcements from Missouri's judicial or community organizations.
Science and health-and-wellness discussions might be incorporated into a panel during the Q&A session at the roundtable, as existing participants hold expertise in criminal justice and have backgrounds in various fields such as education-and-self-development, making them well-equipped to discuss broader topics related to human welfare. Participants could also share resources or initiatives that promote womens-health, especially within the context of criminal justice, as a means to further holistic change in the system.
