The International Justice Exchange

Film Screening & Discussion: Transforming Corrections
2024-04-09 18:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Hoffman Auditorium, University of St. Joseph
Register Here
Join us for a thought-provoking documentary screening and discussion exploring the Norwegian correctional system, which has garnered international attention for its a commitment to human rights and high standards, resulting in a system prioritizing rehabilitation and reintegration into society and potential best practices Connecticut could adopt.
The International Justice Exchange at UConn IMRP led a fact-finding mission of policymakers and stakeholders to Norway to explore the Norwegian correctional system and learn best practices for Connecticut. “Transforming Corrections” explores this trip and approaches implemented within the Norwegian correctional system. Through in depth interviews with incarcerated people, correctional staff, and experts, the documentary offers a compelling narrative of Norway’s approach and implications for Connecticut.
Following the documentary screening, a panel of experts, including those featured in the documentary, will lead a discussion on key insights and facilitate a conversation on how Connecticut can draw inspiration from Norway’s success.
Whether you’re a policymaker, criminal justice professional, advocate, or concerned citizen, this event provides a valuable opportunity to engage with cutting-edge ideas and contribute to the dialogue on reshaping the future of corrections in Connecticut.
Please RSVP to secure your spot. Light refreshments will be provided.
This event is sponsored by IMRP at UConn, the Criminal Justice and Restorative Justice program at the University of St. Joseph, and Just Faith at Holy Family.

Film Screening & Discussion: Transforming Corrections
2024-03-13 06:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Wallingford Public Library, 200 North Main St., Wallingford, CT, 06492, United States
Register HereJoin us for a one-year anniversary screening of “Transforming Corrections,” a powerful 2023 documentary that follows Connecticut’s political leaders as they explore Norway’s progressive prison system.
Hear from incarcerated individuals, policymakers, and Norwegians about what is and what is not working. Discover how Norway’s focus on rehabilitation and redemption has transformed its corrections system and reduced recidivism. This is a unique chance to rethink incarceration, examine policy gaps, and ignite meaningful debate on building a more just and humane system right here in our communities. Come curious, with an open mind, and a willingness to be part of solutions. The screening will be followed by a Q&A hosted by Brittany Lamarr and Andrew Clark of the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy.
PresenterAndrew ClarkDirector | Institute of Municipal and Regional Policy, UCONN
Mr. Clark works to facilitate efficient and effective solutions to critical issues facing Connecticut policymakers. The IMRP brings together a dedicated team of UConn faculty, staff, and students with state and national experts to provide immediate and long-range policy solutions.
Brittany LaMarrProject Manager | Tow Youth Justice Institute (Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee)
Brittany is a tireless advocate for human rights, youth justice, and legal policy reforms across state, national, and international levels. With a B.A. in Political Science from UConn, where she is also an MPP & J.D. Candidate. Brittany personifies the power of education as an alum of Yale Law School’s Access to Law Fellowship and a Frederic Bastiat Fellow of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She brings her unique blend of lived experience and scholarship to her many leadership roles, serving as: Assistant Director of the National Prison Debate League, Project Manager of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee with the Tow Youth Justice Institute, Smart Justice Leader with the ACLU of Connecticut, Justice Advisor with Connecticut Justice Alliance, and a member of the New England Commission on the Future of Higher Education in Prison.

Transforming Corrections
2023-12-06 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Russell Library Hubbard Room, 123 Broad Street, Middletown, 06457, United States
Please join us for a discussion on Norwegian correctional models of reintegration and rehabilitation, and potential applications to prison reform in Connecticut.
Speaker: Per Sigurd Vague, Director in the Correctional Service of Norway and International Advisor
FeaturingPer Sigurd VägeInternational Advisor & Director | Kriminalomsorgsdirektoratet, Norway
Per Sigurd Våge is a director in the Correctional Service of Norway. Since graduating from law studies in 1984, he has been a professional practitioner in the governmental field of justice, in various roles as a prosecutor, judge, lawyer in the police, prison governor, and since 2001 the regional director in the Correctional Service. From 2019-21 he was stationed in the bilateral mission in Kyiv, Ukraine as an international expert in the Rule of Law, enhancing the Ukrainian probation service. In all leading roles of management, development, rule of law, and security he has been innovative and motivated to enhance the organization towards evidence-based methods and best practices. His priority and perspective have been strong on each individual person serving their sentences, in a measure of stability to the social contract of each government in office. Per Sigurd is a person with an optimistic and curious mindset in his professional and private life.

Transforming Corrections
2023-12-04 17:00 - 19:00 UTC | Housatonic Community College, Beacon Hall, 875 Broad St, Bridgeport, CT, 06604, United States
Register HereParticipate in a thought-provoking panel discussion on the highly regarded Norwegian humane prison system. This model has gained global recognition for its progressive and rehabilitative methods of incarceration. The event aims to explore the Norwegian system’s fundamental principles, operational practices, and resulting outcomes. By doing so, we seek to uncover potential implications for reshaping the concept of justice on a global scale.
FeaturingPer Sigurd VägeInternational Advisor & Director | Kriminalomsorgsdirektoratet, Norway
Per Sigurd Våge is a director in the Correctional Service of Norway. Since graduating from law studies in 1984, he has been a professional practitioner in the governmental field of justice, in various roles as a prosecutor, judge, lawyer in the police, prison governor, and since 2001 the regional director in the Correctional Service. From 2019-21 he was stationed in the bilateral mission in Kyiv, Ukraine as an international expert in the Rule of Law, enhancing the Ukrainian probation service. In all leading roles of management, development, rule of law, and security he has been innovative and motivated to enhance the organization towards evidence-based methods and best practices. His priority and perspective have been strong on each individual person serving their sentences, in a measure of stability to the social contract of each government in office. Per Sigurd is a person with an optimistic and curious mindset in his professional and private life.

Media and Perception of the Justice System
2023-12-01 17:00 - 19:00 UTC | University of Saint Joseph, Crystal Room in Mercy Hall, 1678 Asylum Ave, West Hartford,, CT, 06117, United States
Register HereThis event offers a unique opportunity to explore the principles and practices of restorative justice, focusing on accountability, empathy, and community building, through the lens of the documentary “Prison Within.”
Our speakers:Katherin Hervey – “The Prison Within,” Writer | Director | ProducerRashad Frett – “Ricky,” Writer | Director | Co-EditorDonovan Harris – “The Cooler Bandits,” Co-StarJohn Lucas – “The Cooler Bandits,” Writer | Director

Nxthvn, A Conversation on Restorative Practices, Dodds Human Rights Impact
2023-11-29 16:30 - 19:00 UTC | NXTHVN, 169 Henry St, New Haven, CT, United States
In a world where punishment is often prioritized over healing, restorative justice offers a refreshing alternative that prioritizes accountability, empathy, and community building. This event offers a unique opportunity to discuss the principles and practices of restorative justice, human rights, rehabilitation, accountability, empathy, and community building.

Role of international human rights, Tow Youth Justice
2023-11-29 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | Bartels Hall, Campus Center, University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Road, West Haven, CT, United States
Register HereTHE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS IN CONNECTICUT’S CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM: Lessons Learned from the International Justice Exchange
The Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP) is embarking on a comprehensive educational initiative this Fall, featuring a series of panel discussions across various locations. These sessions will discuss the significant work of the International Justice Exchange (IJE), offering invaluable insights, reflections, and critical information. The panels will include quest speakers from both Norway and Germany.
Our SpeakersJames Jeter, Co-Founder and Director, Full Citizen’s Coalitionnayab2023-11-28T14:04:17-05:00James Jeter, Co-Founder and Director, Full Citizen’s CoalitionJames JeterFull Citizen’s Coalition | Civic Allyship @Dwight Hall, Yale University
James Jeter recently worked as the Tow Foundation Fellow with the Yale Prison Education Initiative. He is a New Haven native who spent 20 years incarcerated at Cheshire Correctional Institution, where he completed 20 credited college courses with Wesleyan’s Center for Prison Education. James is currently enrolled at Trinity College and is the co-director of the Full Citizen’s Coalition to Unlock the Vote.

Michael Lawlor, Associate Professor, University of New Havennayab2023-11-28T14:04:42-05:00Michael Lawlor, Associate Professor, University of New HavenMichael LawlorAssociate Professor, University of New Haven
Mike Lawlor is a nationally recognized expert on criminal justice reform which was a major focus of his 24 years as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives and as former Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning in the Office of Policy and Management.
Elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1986 representing East Haven’s 99th district, he chaired the House Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2011, taking a leadership role in a wide variety of criminal justice reforms, including a law that established rights for crime victims.
Lawlor authored the 1999 Connecticut Red Flag Gun law, the first state in the country to pass this law and now considered a national model for preventing mass shootings.
He was a founding board member of the Council of State Governments Justice Center, and he’s served on numerous national criminal justice reform commissions. He also led the push for legislation that made Connecticut the second state in the nation to pass a law allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil unions.

Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Wolf, Honorary Professor of Criminal Sciences, University of Tübingennayab2023-11-28T14:05:01-05:00Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Wolf, Honorary Professor of Criminal Sciences, University of TübingenProf. Dr. Rüdiger WolfHonorary Professor of Criminal Sciences (University of Tübingen)
Rüdiger Wulf was born in 1951. He studied law and criminology at the University of Tübingen. In 1978, he completed his doctorate there with an empirical doctoral thesis on the criminal careers of 141 prisoners serving life sentences. In 1979, he entered the higher judicial service of the state of Baden-Württemberg. He was a criminal judge at the Stuttgart Regional Court and a (juvenile) public prosecutor in Stuttgart. In 1983, he became a clerk, and later counsellor at the Ministry of Justice of Baden-Württemberg. There he was responsible for the supervision of prisons in Baden-Württemberg, for legislative procedures in the penal system and for reform projects in the penal system. He retired in 2017. Since 1985, he has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Law in Tübingen, where he has been an honorary professor of criminal sciences since 2008. He is also a member of the Gambling Research Centre at the University of Hohenheim and 22 the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Tübingen.

Per Sigurd Vage, International Advisor/ Director, Correctional Service of Norwaynayab2023-11-28T17:25:15-05:00Per Sigurd Vage, International Advisor/ Director, Correctional Service of NorwayPer Sigurd VägeInternational Advisor & Director | Kriminalomsorgsdirektoratet, Norway
Per Sigurd Våge is a director in the Correctional Service of Norway. Since graduating from law studies in 1984, he has been a professional practitioner in the governmental field of justice, in various roles as a prosecutor, judge, lawyer in the police, prison governor, and since 2001 the regional director in the Correctional Service. From 2019-21 he was stationed in the bilateral mission in Kyiv, Ukraine as an international expert in the Rule of Law, enhancing the Ukrainian probation service. In all leading roles of management, development, rule of law, and security he has been innovative and motivated to enhance the organization towards evidence-based methods and best practices. His priority and perspective have been strong on each individual person serving their sentences, in a measure of stability to the social contract of each government in office. Per Sigurd is a person with an optimistic and curious mindset in his professional and private life.

Moderator: Andrew Clark, Director of the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, UConnnayab2023-11-28T14:05:36-05:00Moderator: Andrew Clark, Director of the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, UConnAndrew ClarkDirector | Institute of Municipal and Regional Policy, UCONN
Mr. Clark works to facilitate efficient and effective solutions to critical issues facing Connecticut policymakers. The IMRP brings together a dedicated team of UConn faculty, staff, and students with state and national experts to provide immediate and long-range policy solutions.

Transforming Corrections: Learning from Norway
2023-10-11 16:00 - 18:30 UTC | Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 600 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
Is it feasible for Connecticut to adopt a criminal justice system that is more humane and rehabilitative like that of Norway? Join us for a thought-provoking screening of the documentary, “Cutline: Transforming Corrections” to explore how a group of Connecticut thought leaders and policymakers toured Norway prison facilities to learn best practices. The screening will be followed by an engaging panel discussion of people who went to Norway and who are active in transforming Connecticut’s criminal justice system. The audience will have a chance to ask questions of panelists and learn more about Connecticut’s current system and how they too can be active participants towards a more just and humane system.
Click here to register for this event

Transforming Corrections: A Connecticut Public Panel Discussion
2023-03-16 18:00 - 21:00 UTC
The Accountability Project’s March Cutline explores how a group of Connecticut thought leaders and policymakers are trying to transform corrections across the state. CT Public joined the group as they toured prisons in Norway to learn best practices. Walter Smith Randolph, Investigative Editor and Director of the Accountability Project moderates a panel discussion about the documentary and talks to people who were in Norway about what’s working and what’s not working. The panel discussion will be followed by a viewing of the documentary, “Cutline: Transforming Corrections.”

Corrections as Rehabilitation: Norway Shares its Model of Success
2022-05-05 08:00 - 2022-05-06 08:00 UTC
The Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy in collaboration with The Tow Youth Justice Institute hosted panels for its series: “Corrections as Rehabilitation- Norway Shares Its Model of Success Parts I, II & III.”
In Part I, we heard from Professor Thomas Uglevik of the Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law at the University of Oslo, John Todd-Kvam, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, James Jeter, Co-founder of Full Citizens Coalition, and Program Director at Civic Ally-ship at Dwight Hall at Yale University, Barbara Fair, a LCSW and lead organizer at Stop Solitary, CT, and Mike Lawlor, J.D., Associate professor of Criminal Justice Department at Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science. The conversation was moderated by IMRP’s director, Andrew Clark, and Dr. Danielle Cooper.
The Norwegian and CT Prison Systems
Explore the presentation covering Norway’s and Connecticut’s population statistics and demographics, as well as prison rates in the US, CT, England, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Norway. Read the full study here.
Full videoPunishment and Welfare: Corrections in NorwayDive into the full presentation by Professor Thomas Ugelvik from the University of Oslo as he explores the intricate relationship between punishment, welfare, and corrections in Norway. Read the full study here.Full VideoCorrections as Rehabilitation
Watch our full webinar to gain deeper insights into topics such as the reintegration of incarcerated individuals into society, racial disparities in the prison system, and the concept of prisoners’ voting rights.
Full VideoIn Part II, we heard from Elin Schie, Chief Prison Officer at Indre Ostfold Prison in Norway along with two other prison staff: Sander and James, Christina Quaranta, Executive Director of CT Justice Alliance, and Robert Gillis a retiree from The Department of Corrections in CT. The conversation was moderated by Kelan Lyons of the CT Mirror.
The Norwegian and CT Prison SystemsPart II: Explore the presentation covering Norway’s and Connecticut’s population statistics and demographics, as well as prison rates in the US, CT, England, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Norway.Read MoreNorway shares its model of success: A Look inside the system
Delve deeper into Norway’s remarkable success model as they open their system for examination. Watch our full webinar for an in-depth exploration.
Full VideoIn part III: The Rights of the Child, In this conversation, we heard from Per Sigurd Våge, Director of the Western Region of the Norwegian Correctional Service and Per Omdal, Former Assistant Prison Governor, Bjørgvin Prison Youth Unit West. These experts shared a powerful presentation about their experience building, designing, and working within the youth justice system in Norway. Their presentation was followed by a moderated panel discussion.
The panel consisted of:

Brittany LaMarr, Project Manager for the Juvenile Justice Policy & Oversight Committee, Tow Youth Justice Institute
Hope Metcalf, Executive Director of the Orville H. Schell, Jr. Center for International Human Rights, Yale Law School
Heather Panciera, Assistant Child Advocate, CT
Danielle Cooper, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Criminal Justice at the University of New Haven, and Dr. of Research at Tow Youth Justice Institute

Moderator: Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Investigative Report, CT Public

Corrections as Rehabilitation Part 3 Webinar Flyer
The Norwegian and CT Prison Systems
Per Omdal and Per Vage Presentation

The Norwegian and CT Prison Systems
Part III: Explore the presentation covering Norway’s and Connecticut’s population statistics and demographics, as well as prison rates in the US, CT, England, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Norway.
Read MoreThe Juvenile Unit West
Discover more in our full webinar with Assistant Prison Governor Per Omdal as he explores various aspects, including the New Law on Mediation, Youth Punishment, and more.
Read MoreNorway: The Rights of The Child
Discover Norway’s unique incarceration system in our full webinar. Explore topics like facility design, education, and treating young offenders differently. Watch the full video for more insights.
Full VideoIn this conversation, there were several references to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Most relevant to this conversation is Article 37 which follows: States Parties shall ensure that:

No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offences committed by persons below eighteen years of age;
No child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time;
Every child deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner that takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age. In particular, every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the child’s best interest not to do so and shall have the right to maintain contact with his or her family through correspondence and visits, save in exceptional circumstances;
Every child deprived of his or her liberty shall have the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the right to challenge the legality of the deprivation of his or her liberty before a court or other competent, independent and impartial authority, and to a prompt decision on any such action.

Notably, the US is the only country that has not agreed to ratify the convention.
