Police Reform and Carceral Logic with Christy Lopez

Christy Lopez draws on her work as a Deputy Chief in the Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice to talk about Pattern or Practice Investigations with in police departments. How these investigations begin, how they work, and what their outcomes may be, are all unpacked by Professor Lopez. Additionally, Prof. Lopez describes her formulation of “carceral logic” and how it informs police reform efforts.

Christy Lopez is a Professor from Practice at Georgetown Law School, where she teaches courses on criminal procedure and policing. From 2010 to 2017, she served as a Deputy Chief in the Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.