Jessica S Henry

Jessica S Henry is a Professor of Justice Studies at Montclair State University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She holds a BA from Bucknell University and a JD from New York University School of Law. Prior to academia, she served as a public defender in NYC for nearly a decade. Her research focuses on wrongful convictions, severe sentencing (death penalty/life without parole), hate crimes, and criminal justice reform. She authored the award-winning book Smoke But No Fire (2020), exploring no-crime wrongful convictions. Key awards include the 2022 University Distinguished Scholar Award and 2015 Montclair Distinguished Teacher Award.

Teaching specialties include Wrongful Convictions, Criminal Law/Procedure, Death Penalty Perspectives, and Hate Crimes. Her work appears in Journal of Criminal Law, Criminal Justice Policy Review, and media outlets like NPR, TEDx, and Crime Story Podcast. She frequently appears as a legal commentator on national TV/radio. Her advocacy spans public lectures at institutions like the Newkirk Center for Science & Society and the Texas RioGrande Legal Aide.

Research emphasizes systemic flaws in criminal prosecutions, with focus on marginalized populations and procedural justice. Ongoing projects include studies on virtual life sentences and indigent defense reforms. She directs Montclair’s Justice Studies Department initiatives and co-founded the Just Justice Podcast to amplify criminal justice discourse.