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Kristin Henning
Kristin Henning is a nationally recognized advocate, author, trainer, and consultant on the intersection of race, adolescence, and the “policing” of Black youth. She is the Blume Professor of Law and Director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative at Georgetown Law and was previously the Lead Attorney of the Juvenile Unit at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Kris has been representing children accused of crime for more than twenty-six years and is the co-founder of a number of initiatives to combat racial injustice in the juvenile and criminal legal systems, including the Ambassadors for Racial Justice program and a Racial Justice Toolkit for youth defenders. Kris also trains state actors across the country on the impact of racial bias on youth in the courts and the traumatic effects of over-policing and hyper-surveillance. She has received several awards, including the 2021 Leadership Prize from the Juvenile Law Center and the 2022 Women of Distinction Award from the American Association of University Women. Kris has written many articles and other publications advocating for reform in the juvenile legal system. Her recent book, The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth (Penguin Random House), was featured on the front page of the New York Times Book Review and received rave reviews in the Washington Post. The book was awarded a 2022 Media for a Just Society Award by Evident Change and the 2022 Social Justice Advocacy Award from the In the Margins Book Awards Committee.
Show Highlights
- Black girls are often unfairly criminalized and punished for normal adolescent behaviors.
- Addressing the school-to-prison pipeline requires a public health response that prioritizes mental health support, restorative justice, and conflict resolution programming.
- Empowering black children with tools to challenge injustices and fostering pride in their identity can offset negative experiences.
- Racial disparity at every stage of the justice system leads to more severe penalties for black youth.
- White children engage in the same behaviors as black children who end up in court, highlighting the need for a public health response.
- Zealous advocacy is crucial in fighting for the rights of youth who often plead out quickly due to lack of resources.
- Stigmatization from being arrested at school can have long-term negative effects on children's perception and future opportunities.
Connect with Kristin
Georgetown Juvenile Justice Clinic & Initiative
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Transform your school and your classroom with these best practices in equity
Leading Equity delivers an eye-opening and actionable discussion of how to transform a classroom or school into a more equitable place. Through explorations of ten concrete steps that you can take right now, Dr. Sheldon L. Eakins offers you the skills, resources, and concepts you’ll need to address common equity deficiencies in education.
