Washington, DC (Feb. 27, 2014) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) today released a new series of tutorial videos aimed at assisting journalists interested in covering the criminal justice system. Criminal Justice and the Media is a three-part series exploring how journalists can effectively inform the public on what is one of the most important, dynamic and omnipresent forces in American society. Some of the finest journalists in the country joined with NACDL to create this exciting series; detailed biographies for each of the presenters are available here.
NACDL Executive Director Norman Reimer said: "Criminal law is an integral part of all aspects of American life. It is used to impose a vast network of social and regulatory controls over the people. It is, therefore, critical that the public have a solid understanding of the criminal law and the constitutional principles that shape it. And we cannot have an informed public without journalists who truly understand the criminal justice system and how it operates. We hope that this new series will be an invaluable aid to aspiring journalists, as well as experienced journalists transitioning into criminal justice reporting. Our ultimate goal is a public that is better informed and more keenly attuned to the nuances of the nation’s criminal justice system."
All three parts of the video series are available free on NACDL's website at http://www.nacdl.org/coveringcriminaljustice/ and at NACDL's YouTube channel. Additionally, DVD box sets of the videos are being sent to journalism and communication program deans, libraries and selected professors (undergraduate and graduate) across the nation. Each of the three videos explores a different aspect of America’s criminal justice system.
In "Part I: Covering Criminal Justice Policy," NACDL Executive Director Norman L. Reimer moderates a discussion on the topic of covering criminal justice policy. Gary Fields, criminal justice reporter at the Wall Street Journal and Carrie Johnson, justice correspondent at National Public Radio (NPR) are featured as guests in this segment.
In "Part II: Covering Trials," NACDL member and prominent New York criminal trial lawyer Susan J. Walsh, partner at the law firm of Vladeck, Waldman, Elias & Engelhard, P.C leads a discussion on covering criminal trials. Linda Deutsch, who has covered trials for nearly 50 years for the Associated Press and is co-author of Covering the Courts: An Associated Press Manual for Reporters is featured as a guest in this segment.
In "Part III: Covering Appellate Decisions," NACDL Director of Public Affairs & Communications Ivan J. Dominguez moderates a discussion on the topic of covering appellate decisions. Adam Liptak, the Supreme Court correspondent at the New York Times and David Savage, the Supreme Court correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune are featured as guests in this segment.
NACDL gratefully acknowledges the Park Foundation and the Foundation for Criminal Justice for their support of this project.
Contacts
Isaac Kramer, Public Affairs and Communications Assistant (202) 465-7656 or ikramer@nacdl.org.
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is the preeminent organization advancing the mission of the criminal defense bar to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime or wrongdoing. A professional bar association founded in 1958, NACDL's many thousands of direct members in 28 countries – and 90 state, provincial and local affiliate organizations totaling up to 40,000 attorneys – include private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, military defense counsel, law professors and judges committed to preserving fairness and promoting a rational and humane criminal legal system.