Eileen Prescott

It might be the first time I've presented this paper without you in the room!

Proud to be on this list, and really looking forward to presenting on state/local conflicts in appellate prosecution next week!

My picture was used in child abuse images. AI is putting others through my nightmare | Mara Wilson I was a child actor, exploited by strangers on the internet. Now millions of children face the same danger

I wrote about my experiences being sexually exploited as a child, and what we need to do to make sure AI doesn’t make that a reality for millions of children.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Philadelphia records the fewest homicides in nearly 60 years, plus other insights to 2025’s crime The drop in homicides to 222 mirrors a national reduction in violence and follows years of sustained declines after Philadelphia’s homicides peaked during the pandemic.

I know I'm probably the only person still grumpy about when Krasner got questions early on like "who was DA last week when 5 people were killed on our streets?"

Looking forward to the "who was DA last year when homicides hit a record low?" interviews..!

(lovely nuance on stats/policing in article)

Hello! @adamsopko.bsky.social and I have been working on a proposal to charter an AALS Section on State Constitutional Law. We believe that such a section is long overdue and that it is urgent to foster scholarly community and support in a growing discipline. Links to support this effort below: ⬇️

But more than that, it puts a wall between me and the person I want to connect with. Did the student ask ChatGPT to write their extension request? Who am I talking to? [My frustration may be exacerbated by the waves of excited "how are you incorporating AI into your teaching? :D" ads and emails.]

They depersonalize everything they're used for, and instead of being persuaded to adopt them as they're "getting better," I find them more and more sinister. The environmental impacts and harm to art/artists caused by saturating spaces with "good enough" computer-generated replacements horrify me.

I have never used a language model or image generator in any class, including to "save time" by generating hypothetical criminal procedure questions for the students to answer. I want what I teach to come from me (and to learn from my own bad hypos and clunky Powerpoint slides)!!

"[T]he parents who once supported me fully in being an artist sent me an AI generated picture of a caricature of themselves holding a birthday cake with my name spelled incorrectly. My friends all post themselves as cartoons online."

With the AJC dropping its print edition, I feel compelled to share one of the greatest moments in print design history

PARTICULARLY RELEVANT now and in the coming days: smithblawg.blogspot.com/2023/07/goin... (The initial interview stage)

smithblawg.blogspot.com/2024/07/goin... (The callback and job talk)

Those going on the market should also free to reach out to me with any questions about the process!

Just a reminder of my favorite idea for a law student note: Pick an important Supreme Court case from 5-10 years ago, and see how lower courts are interpreting it. It's helpful for practitioners and courts, and something law students can research and present effectively.

An Inmate’s Unlikely Ally A growing number of people are lobbying the governor to free Charles McNeair. He has a surprising new supporter: the Lexington police chief.

Inspired to see law enforcement committed to justice, even when that means acknowledging weak evidence and mysteriously-destroyed files. I hope @joshsteinnc.bsky.social's office and JSRB can work through the clemency backlog soon!

I was told to submit to the top 80-100 journals (excluding non-subject area) plus 5-15 relevant specialty journals of any rank. It seems like the exclusive submission/targeted cover letters/etc. could all be done without deciding to submit to a bizarrely low number of journals…? Very odd advice.

The weekly free 5m calls are also interrupted by automated messages and reminders that time is almost up. Trying to collaborate on writing a piece with someone inside in NC has been surprisingly expensive for both of us (even the $0.25 text messages)--I can't imagine how I'd feel as a family member.

There will now be 10,000 new ICE agents & 100,000 new detention beds--and few safeguards protecting people from constitutional violations by the feds.

Time for states to pass laws allowing people to sue fed agents. Read about it these "converse-1983" statutes here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

NEW: The 12-year-long lawsuit over conditions at Stateville was settled. The lawsuit helped bring the 100-year-old facilty to a close: news.wttw.com/2025/04/24/1...

The Bipartisan Push to Rethink Long Sentences for Abuse Survivors A Georgia bill offers a model for other states looking to protect people who are accused or convicted of crimes stemming from their abuse.

Georgia legislators passed one of the most robust laws in the country to protect survivors of abuse from long prison sentences. What is the future for other states?

www.themarshallproject.org/2025/04/12/w...

Transitioning to Teaching: Tips for Navigating the Academic Market & Becoming a law Professor. Needing a new role in the legal profession? Curious about a career in legal education? Join us to learn about the different pathways to law teaching. Featuring Dean Angela Onwuachi-Willig (Boston University), Clinical Professor Sameer Ashar (UC-Irvine), and Associate Dean and Professor Kyle Velte (Kansas). Moderators: Professor Catherine Smith (W&L Law) and Associate Dean Alexi Freeman (Denver Law). April 9 Webinar: 12-1:30pm EST / 9-10:3AM Pacific

One of my awesome colleagues here at W&L, Professor Catherine Smith, has helped to organize a webinar scheduled for April 9 for lawyers interested in law teaching.
Registration link here: udenver.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Opinion | Prison Strip Searches Need to Go Strip searches are traumatic and ineffective. It’s time to phase them out.

Chris Blackwell + Sarah Sax have a story up in @nytimes.com about the brutality of prison strip searches.

"A state-imposed violation, which some experience as a form of sexual violence, which costs states and local governments millions in lawsuit settlements..."

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/o...

‘Sleep Don’t Come’: The Dangerous Problem of Sleep Deprivation Behind Bars Moldy mattresses, 24/7 lights and constant noise contribute to a persistent health and safety crisis in prisons and jails.

One thing I never thought about until doing this story: How bad sleep in jail leads to poor legal outcomes. People are so tired they have trouble participating in their defense & lawyers say some clients are so exhausted they take plea deals they might have otherwise avoided.
tinyurl.com/47eun36u

What It Was Like When Hurricane Helene Hit Our Prison We were ultimately safe, but still had to evacuate our facility. Some of us were then sent to a higher-security prison.

An incarcerated writer shares what it was like when Hurricane Helene hit a North Carolina prison.