Criminal Law and Justice

Scripting Justice: Rashad Robinson

November 18, 2021  • Criminal Justice Reform Initiative

For the first installment of our series Scripting Justice: the Impact of Entertainment on Criminal Justice we are joined by Rashad Robinson, President of Color Of Change. In the Scripting Justice series, we’re seeking to understand how pop culture can influence public perception of crime and justice – either for better or for worse.

Through its Culture Change and Media Justice work, Color Of Change is taking on ending inaccurate representations of the criminal justice system on TV. Rashad Robinson joins us to tell how Color Of Change came to focus on this work, successes and challenges to date, and the road ahead.

About Scripting Justice: the Impact of Entertainment on Criminal Justice
From The Wire to Orange is the New Black to the latest in the Law and Order franchise, television, film and pop culture have shaped the public’s understanding of criminal justice matters. But how have such depictions helped – or hindered – efforts to reform the justice system? Our series will look at different views on the impact of pop culture on today’s reform efforts, and the role it might play in helping or hindering progress.

Among the questions this series, and its guests from across the entertainment and activist worlds seek to address are:

  • What does pop culture get wrong and right about criminal justice reform?
  • Do creators have an obligation to be accurate in their portrayal of the criminal justice system?
  • Can creators be allies in promoting criminal justice reform without sacrificing their creative license? Can art be a catalyst for activism in the criminal justice reform movement?
  • Who has the right to tell these stories?

The second installment of this series features Scott Budnick, film and TV producer and justice advocate.

Please also join us for future installments, as we tackle these questions with an exciting line up of guests.