Lubar Center – Page 27 – Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog

Prominent Sociologist Spotlights Community Organizations’ Role in Crime Reduction

Post author:Alan J. Borsuk
Post published:March 7, 2018
Post category:Criminal Law & Process Lubar Center Milwaukee Milwaukee Area Project Public Speakers at Marquette

America’s cities overall have experienced a remarkable decline in crime that began in the 1990s and that has brought improvements in civic life in some surprising ways.

But the strategies that played a significant part in reducing crime – including stop and frisk policing and mass incarceration – are fading, and different approaches are needed to sustain safety improvements.

And the strategies that should be pursued include building up the number and resources of community organizations that serve in many different ways to increase the quality of life in neighborhoods and doing as much as possible to encourage residents to take roles in helping that quality of life.

A leading figure in American thinking on how to improve the quality of life in urban areas presented that provocative perspective at a conference at Eckstein Hall on Wednesday. Patrick Sharkey, a professor of sociology at New York University, told an audience including leaders of many Milwaukee non-profit organizations that research and data back-up his assertion that such organizations are valuable. There is “really strong evidence” to show the value of community organizations, he said.

Lake Michigan and the Chicago Megacity in the 21st Century

Post author:David Strifling
Post published:January 18, 2018
Post category:Environmental Law Lubar Center Marquette Law School Milwaukee Public Speakers at Marquette Water Law

I have previously written in this space about the difficult water policy issues facing “megacities,” generally defined as cities with a population of over ten mill A photo of the cover of Marquette Lawyer ion people. Meanwhile, the Law School, working in partnership with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, has taken an increasing role and interest in studying various aspects of the “Chicago Megacity,” the region stretching from the Milwaukee area, across metropolitan Chicago, and into northwest Indiana. For example, see here, here, here, and here for discussion of a variety of issues such as economic development, transportation, and education.

We are excited to announce that on April 17, the Law School and the Journal Sentinel will continue those efforts, hosting a conference titled “Lake Michigan and the Chicago Megacity in the 21st Century.” The event is free and open to the public, but advanced registration is required; find out more and register at this link. More details about the conference follow.

Speakers Differ at Lubar Center Program on Whether Success in School Can Increase Social Mobility

Post author:Alan J. Borsuk
Post published:November 29, 2017
Post category:Education & Law Lubar Center Milwaukee Public Schools Public Speakers at Marquette

When you say “social-emotional learning,” you’ve said something that prompts wide-ranging and provocative conversations about kindergarten through twelfth grade education.

That was the case Wednesday at a morning-long conference in the Lubar Center of Eckstein titled “What K-12 Students Need: Striking a Balance between Social-Emotional and Academic Learning.” The session included moderated conversations with two nationally-known education commentators and a panel discussion with Wisconsin educators who are working on increasing the success of schools in helping children deal with their personal needs as a step toward improving their success in school in beyond.

The conference, a program of the Law School’s Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education and the Marquette University College of Education, attracted a capacity audience of more than 200, with other people watching it on a livestreamed internet broadcast.