Renewed War on Drugs, harsher charging policies, stepped-up criminalization of immigrants — in the current climate, joining the NACDL is more important than ever. Members of NACDL help to support the only national organization working at all levels of government to ensure that the voice of the defense bar is heard.
Take a stand for a fair, rational, and humane criminal legal system
Contact members of congress, sign petitions, and more
Help us continue our fight by donating to NFCJ
Help shape the future of the association
Join the dedicated and passionate team at NACDL
Increase brand exposure while building trust and credibility
NACDL is committed to enhancing the capacity of the criminal defense bar to safeguard fundamental constitutional rights.
NACDL harnesses the unique perspectives of NACDL members to advocate for policy and practice improvements in the criminal legal system.
NACDL envisions a society where all individuals receive fair, rational, and humane treatment within the criminal legal system.
NACDL’s mission is to serve as a leader, alongside diverse coalitions, in identifying and reforming flaws and inequities in the criminal legal system, and redressing systemic racism, and ensuring that its members and others in the criminal defense bar are fully equipped to serve all accused persons at the highest level.
Showing 1 - 15 of 15 results
Defenders start from the proposition that something went wrong with the police case.
But how do things go wrong?
Defense attorneys often point to “one big screw-up” or “one twisted cop” in telling the story of a client’s innocence to a jury. In reality, the best explanation of how things go wrong is usually an “organizational accident” – a lot of small errors that alone would not be enough to cause something to go wrong, but when put together can cause catastrophe.
This panel highlights policing reforms adopted over the last year and what still needs to be done.
20th Annual State Criminal Justice Network Conference August 18-20, 2021 | Held Virtually
At least 85,000 law enforcement officers across the U.S. have been investigated or disciplined for misconduct over the past decade according to a USA Today investigation. Police disciplinary records are confidential in roughly 21 states, meaning people facing charges aren’t able to learn about the background of involved officers. Learn why transparency is vital and current state legislative efforts to allow for increased transparency of police misconduct records.
NACDL's 19th Annual State Criminal Justice Network Conference August 17-19, 2020 | Held Virtually
NACDL supports improved transparency around police disciplinary records in New Jersey.
NACDL worked with state partners to successfully advocate for public access to law enforcement disciplinary records.
Thanks to the trial penalty, criminal trials no longer offer sufficient opportunities for the community to evaluate the conduct of the police during citizen-officer encounters. Police and prosecutors can effectively coerce guilty pleas thereby obscuring, even deliberately shielding, unlawful police conduct from public exposure and review by the courts.
Whatever Happened to Willie Horton? Edward A. Mallett October 2000 7 When George W.'s father beat Michael Dukakis in 1988 he got great mileage out of the proposition that a violent crime by a Massachusetts parolee demonstrated the Democratic Party's incompetence. His anti-crime demagoguery connected
NACDL Full Disclosure Project's response to the Request for Information and recommendations to the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) regarding the National Decertification Index Expansion Project and the need to address and present law enforcement misconduct data transparently.
Letter to New Jersey legislative leadership regarding a proposed bill to require that law enforcement disciplinary records are government record and available to the public (S2656, 2020).
Coalition letter from the NJ Coalition for Transparent Policing to the leadership of the New Jersey state legislature regarding proposed legislation to make law enforcement disciplinary records accessible to the public as government record (Senate Bill 2656).
Coalition letter to President Biden regarding the absence thus far of executive actions addressing discriminatory and militarized policing in Black and Brown communities.
Brief Of Amici Curiae American Civil Liberties Union, Bronx Defenders, Cato Institute, Center for Appellate Litigation, Center on The Administration of Criminal Law at New York University School Of Law, Legal Aid Society, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Police Accountability Project, New York Civil Liberties Union, New York State Chief Defenders Association, New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Office of the Appellate Defender Supporting Reversal.
Board member Tim Evans' statement to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and to the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice, regarding the 1993 confrontation between Branch Davidians and law enforcement in Waco, TX.
Brief of Amici Curiae American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Opposition to Government’s Motion for Reconsideration.
