Richard P. Kern
Memorial Award
In 2012, the National Association of Sentencing Commissions (NASC) established the Richard P. Kern Memorial Award and Keynote Address to recognize an individual who has contributed greatly to the development of sentencing policy and research. The award was named after Richard P. Kern, the Director of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission and a great friend to NASC. Mr. Kern passed away in 2011 after a 14-year battle with cancer. His presence and contributions are greatly missed.
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Long and Distinguished Career Inspires the Richard P. Kern Memorial Award, an explanation by Meredith Farrar-Owens.
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About Richard P. Kern
Richard P. Kern was the Director of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission from its creation in 1994 until his passing. During his career, Dr. Kern served as the Director of the Virginia Criminal Justice Research Center, and the Research Director for the Governor's Commission on Parole Abolition and Sentence reform. Dr. Kern served as a member of the Executive Committee of the National Association of Sentencing Commission where he provided great direction to NASC. He was a tremendous advocate for sentencing guidelines, sentencing reform, and data-driven decision making. He left a lasting legacy in Virginia and in the national sentencing community.
Past Honorees
2023 Honoree, Sara Andrews
Director (retired), Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission
Link Coming Soon
2022 Honoree, Kelly Lyn Mitchell
Executive Director, Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, University of Minnesota
Reassessing, Rethinking, Revising: The Essential Work of Sentencing Commissions
2019 Honoree, Mark H. Bergstrom
Executive Director, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing
2018 Honoree, Professor Douglas A. Berman
Professor of Law, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
2017 Honoree, Professor Emeritus David Boerner
Seattle University School of Law
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2016 Honoree, Professor Steven L. Chanenson
Professor of Law, Villanova University School of Law
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2015 Honoree, Honorable Patti Saris
Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Massachusetts, and Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission
2014 Honoree, Professor Richard S. Frase
University of Minnesota Law School
​Examining the Operation and Impacts of Prior Record Sentencing Enhancements
2013 Honoree, Professor Kevin Reitz
University of Minnesota Law School