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
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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.
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Some of the trials lasted no more than five minutes. None of the Santee Dakota Indians – most who had no command of the English language – had interpreters, counsel, or the ability to call witnesses in their defense.
This month Jon M. Sands reviews When Crack Was King: A People’s History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. Ramsey.
Race matters in our criminal legal system. It affects how likely you are to be pulled over by police, how likely you are to be released or detained pretrial, how likely the state is to seek the death penalty, and how severely you are sentenced.
NACDL has been committed to examining race as an issue within the criminal justice context.
Written Statement of Bryan A. Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director Equal Justice Initiative and Professor of Clinical Law New York University School of Law Before the House Committee on the Judiciary Over-Criminalization Task Force Re: “Penalties”
This month Chuck Sevilla reviews Reap the Whirlwind: Violence, Race, Justice, and the Story of Sagon Penn by Peter Houlahan.
Brief of Amici Curiae American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Illinois, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Support of Mr. Redmond and Mr. Molina
Separate and Unequal Catherine Beane
The panel addresses militarization, ethnic & racial dynamics of sentencing and their impact on criminal justice outcomes.
The panel examines the historical and systemic issues associated with crime and the response of police to those communities most affected by crime. The panel also addresses solutions policy makers and communities can make to solve these issues on the local, state and federal level.
There is no question – racial and ethnic disparities abound in our criminal justice system. Racial bias, both conscious and unconscious, results in more people of color being stopped, arrested, convicted and imprisoned than ever before. Criminal defense lawyers and public defenders are not immune to bias and, of all people in the system, should be aware of their biases and keep them in check.
The grand jury has long drawn criticism for failing to serve its purpose as a shield against unwarranted charges. Recently a new charge has been leveled: that prosecutorial influence over the grand jury permits law enforcement misconduct to go unpunished. Both facets of the issue are discussed in turn by two distinguished panels of experts.
NACDL released its report Policing Body Cameras: Policies and Practices to Safeguard the Rights of the Accused in March 2017, outlining NACDL’s position on the introduction and use of body cameras by law enforcement. This webinar walks through the recommendations and talks about how to negotiate stronger body camera policies in your jurisdiction, the technical aspects of body cameras, and strategies and tactics for defending clients in body camera jurisdictions.
This 2nd annual event was designed to help practitioners identify and confront issues of racial bias in our courts, the law enforcement community, by prosecutors, and yes, even the defense team. Attendees heard from trial lawyers, academics, and formerly incarcerated individuals who offered their personal perspectives, strategies, and ideas on why Race Matters. This program was created to intentionally challenge you to push the envelope on your understanding of and willingness to attack racial bias in the criminal justice system.
Presented by Drew Findling, NACDL President (2018-2019), The Findling Law Firm PC, Atlanta, GA
Race Matters II: The Impact of Race on Criminal Justice January 10-11, 2019 | Los Angeles, CA
Presented by Nicole Porter, Director of Advocacy, The Sentencing Project
