Elsa Chen Recognized by the College of Arts and Sciences
Public Intellectual Award
In recognition of the effective, far-reaching, and timely use of scholarly expertise to address issues of major public concern in a way that promotes reasoned analysis and humane understanding.
Patrick Lopez-Aguado's research and advocacy extend far beyond the confines of the
classroom, delving into the lives of young Latino men who are gang-identified, shedding light on their identity formation, community building, and the transformative journey they undertake during and after periods of incarceration.
Over the course of her career, Elsa Chen, professor and chair of the Political Science Department, has developed expertise on racial disparities in criminal legal sentencing, as well as the reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into society. Elsa’s research team, which includes undergraduates, provides guidance to policymakers, advocates, and the practitioners who are responsible for implementing these policies to ultimately help people with criminal records access opportunities such as jobs and professional licenses, housing, and education.
Outside of her “day job,” Elsa has served as a California Racial Justice Act (RJA) expert consultant since 2021. This work has included statistical analysis and advising on racial bias in the following enormously important charging and sentencing practices:
- Three Strikes sentencing and resentencing in Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties
- Cases regarding bias in the charging of gun possession and resisting arrest in San Francisco County, and
- A Three Strikes resentencing case that went before the California Supreme Court, to name a few
As a member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on Evaluating Success Among People Released from Prison, Elsa co-authored a Consensus Study Report, “The Limits of Recidivism: Measuring Success After Prison,” and gave presentations on its findings to scholarly and practitioner audiences, as well as giving media interviews on the shortcomings of relying on recidivism as a measure of success during reentry.
Elsa has taken her knowledge and skills far beyond the ivory tower to educate the public, advance accountability in the criminal legal system, and improve real people’s lives.
Congratulations to Elsa, a very worthy recipient of the College’s Public Intellectual Award!