Scholar Spotlight: Katherine Beckett

Katherine Beckett is this week's scholar spotlight for her impactful research on racial bias in capital punishment. Washington just ruled that the state's death penalty is unconstitutional, discarding the practice for good. This decision was due to research from Katherine, who found that black defendants were sentenced to death at rates significantly higher than defendants of other races. For two years, Katherine and her co-author, Heather Evans, were involved in hearings surrounding the case.  For more, check out this article about Katherine in The Seattle Times.

Scholar Spotlight

University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Beckett

Beckett’s research focuses on the causes and consequences of the expansion of the U.S. criminal justice system. She also studies racial disproportionality in the criminal justice system, the assessment and consequences of legal financial obligations, urban social control, drug policy, and capital punishment. Over the years she has worked with a variety of civic and governmental organizations, including the Washington State Minority & Justice Commission, the ACLU’s Drug Law Reform Project, the Racial Disparity Project, and the Task Force on Race and Criminal Justice.