Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law

Faculty Director Vincent Southerland leads the Criminal Defense and Re-entry Clinic.
Executive Director Jason Williamson leads the Racial Justice and Abolition Clinic.
At an NYU Law Forum entitled, "The State of the Death Penalty: Fifty Years After Furman," Vincent Southerland (left) moderated a panel featuring Aren Adjoian and Alexis Hoag-Fordjour '08.
Jason Williamson led a breakout session at the 2023 Race Center Convening, hosted at NYU Law.
The center's public conversation on New York's Chief Judge vacancy featured New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, Noah Rosenblum, Alice Fontier, and Tolu Lawal.
One of the Center's public conversations on parole justice included (from left) Steve Zeidman, New York State Assemblymember Maritza Davila, Jose Saldana, Nawanna Snipe, and TeAna Taylor.
Andrew Friedman is the director of the Initiative for Community Power.

About Us

The Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law confronts the laws, policies, and practices that lead to the oppression and marginalization of people of color. We believe that the racism that permeates our present day legal system has deep roots. By documenting the history of racism in America, elevating the stories of those affected by race-based inequality, and rigorously applying a racial lens to analyze unremitting disparities, we identify actionable, forward-looking solutions to address the injustices caused by racism and then take action.

Our Work

Narrative Change

Criminal Legal System

Social & Economic Justice

Technology

Initiative for Community Power

Programs for Students

Read our 2021-2022 Annual Report.

Center Releases Addendum to 2021 Problem With Parole Report

On Monday, June 5th, the Center released an addendum to our 2021 Problem With Parole Report which reveals that the racial disparities for parole release rates have worsened over the past two years.

Find the full addendum here.

Academic Solidarity Letter: Stop Cop City

The Center recently authored an open letter on behalf of a collection of race centers and academics across the country, highlighting our deep concerns with the construction of Cop City and the repressive treatment of protesters and movement supporters by state and local law enforcement.

View the full letter here.

Event Spotlight

"NYU Law Forum--The State of the Death Penalty: Fifty Years After Furman:" Co-Faculty Director Vincent Southerland moderates a conversation between Alexis Hoag-Fordjour and Aren Adjoian on the death penalty as administered today.

Media: Vincent Southerland on Washington News Bureau

Listen to Co-Faculty Director Vincent Southerland: "New TSA security tech raises concern about the potential of misidentifying minority travelers."

Recent Reports

Racial Segregation in Housing Policy (PDF: 20.7 MB) highlights some of the present-day policies and practices that continue to perpetuate a racial caste system in the United States.

Building Safe, Thriving Communities: Research-Based Strategies for Public Safety (PDF: 7.11 MB) lays out a new path for public safety using research-based strategies in policing, prosecution, and sentencing.

The Problem with Parole: New York's Failing System of Release makes policy recommendations to transform the parole system, putting redemption and rehabilitation first.