Morris E. Lasker Lecture on Correctional Justice

The Morris E. Lasker Lecture on Correctional Justice is part of the Lasker Fund, which also supports externships with the Correctional Association for Pace Haub Law students. It was established through a generous gift from Pace Haub Law faculty members, Judge Lasker’s former clerks, and members of the bar, including many who appeared before him, and colleagues, friends and admirers in honor of Judge Morris E. Lasker. Judge Lasker served with great distinction as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York (Active Service 1968–1983; Senior Status 1983–2009) and the District of Massachusetts (1994–2007).

Through a series of landmark decisions Judge Lasker was among the first federal judges in the United States to recognize the constitutional rights of incarcerated individuals to humane treatment and human dignity, bringing particular attention to the rights of those detained before trial. His work brought essential judicial scrutiny to institutions that before his rulings operated outside the protection of the law. Lasker’s tenure on the bench exemplified the qualities of any judge: intellectual rigor, sound temperament, deep compassion, and steadfast commitment to the rule of law. The lecture will encourage discussion and reflection on the often-overlooked legal issues regarding the treatment of incarcerated persons in the United States and throughout the world.