fbpx
Salons at Stowe

 

Unlearning Unconscious Bias

April 16, 2015

This Salon explored unconscious or implicit bias, in particular its impact on the criminal justice system. Featured guests Maureen Price-Boreland, Executive Director of Community Partners in Action and Andrew Clark, Director of Central Connecticut State University’s Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, led the conversation.

We all hold biases and make snap judgments on race, gender, sexuality, appearance etc. based on what we have learned from the media, school, and those around us. For those in law enforcement, and for those at the receiving end of law enforcement practices, these biases can have negative and even deadly impacts. One example of implicit bias is the way black men are perceived as being “dangerous” despite the evidence that they commit no more crime than white people. This bias contributes to the over policing of certain communities and racial profiling. Price-Boreland emphasized that implicit bias does not cause racism, but rather that racism causes biases and it requires open conversation and self reflection to eradicate the effects.

Inspiration to Action

  • Understand unconscious and implicit bias
  • Talk openly and courageously about implicit bias
  • Work to recognize the ways in which you hold biases
  • Discuss privilege and how it impacts who gets punished for a crime and who doesn’t
Location Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
Doors Open 5 - 7 PM
Program 5 - 7 PM