In 2009, Missouri State Sen. Jeff Smith (D) lied to the federal government about seemingly minor campaign misconduct and found himself serving a year and a day in Kentucky’s Manchester Federal Correctional Institution. Mr. Smith Goes to Prison is the story of his time in federal prison—the people he met, the things he learned, and the perspective he gained on the nation’s broken criminal justice system while on the inside of the prison-industrial complex. Smith offers concrete solutions to end the nation’s decades-long failed experiment with mass incarceration and to facilitate successful rehabilitation for the millions of Americans living behind bars.
Join the Center for American Progress for a lively discussion between Jeff Smith and CAP Senior Fellow Todd Cox on what policymakers can do to end mass incarceration and break the cycle of poverty and punishment.
Copies of Mr. Smith Goes to Prison will be available for purchase at the event.
Welcoming remarks:
Carmel Martin, Executive Vice President for Policy, Center for American Progress
Featured author:
Jeff Smith, Former Missouri State Senator; Author, Mr. Smith Goes to Prison
Moderated by:
Todd A. Cox, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress