You might recognize Clinical Associate Professor John Gross from op-eds in publications like The Hill or USA Today.
When he’s not writing his own pieces, he’s working closely with TV journalists to help them better explain the court cases they’re covering in the space of a two-minute broadcast.
All these touchpoints with the public are Gross’ way of helping people make more informed decisions about the world around them — especially when they’re at the ballot.
“I want to educate people about our criminal legal system,” Gross said. “There’s a lot of people who have strong opinions about how to deal with crime — about what the results in particular cases should be.”
Before becoming a professor at University of Wisconsin Law School, Gross enjoyed a storied career as a public defender as well as time teaching at other esteemed institutions. He’s seen the negative impact of mass incarceration or tough-on-crime policies, including in Wisconsin.
More than 35,000 Wisconsinites were incarcerated last year, with Black Wisconsinites incarcerated at a rate almost 12 times higher than white Wisconsinites. And about two-thirds of Wisconsinites who are arrested plead guilty, something that often follows them for the rest of their lives by trapping them in poverty.
To Gross, much of the criminal justice system as it’s built today is not particularly effective because it often does more harm than good.
“Mass incarceration creates lots of problems,” Gross explained. “We can create a better criminal justice system; we can create a more just system.”
That starts with education, whether Gross is consulting on a news story for the everyday citizen or talking to a legislator who’s voting on a new policy.
Part of Gross’ drive to improve public knowledge stems from the idea that those who work in academia have a responsibility to share what they know. And, with that knowledge, a pathway to think critically so that it’s possible to understand two contradictory ideas simultaneously.
“We need to be able to say that you can be frustrated about the crime rate,” Gross said. “Or your perception of violent crime. But, at the same time, we also have to think about the negative effects of mass incarceration.”
Ultimately, Gross seeks to tell the truth, regardless of whether that’s popular.
“The obligation of all thoughtful academics is let’s tell people the truth,” said Gross. “Let’s tell them what we know. I mean, if we can’t do that, what good are we?”
By Mika Doyle