If the justice system replaced jail and other traditional sanctions for misdemeanor defendants with services and treatment, what should those interventions look like? By identifying the drivers of repeat, low-level offending, this in-depth profile of misdemeanor defendants in New York City lays the groundwork for developing more effective and proportionate responses.
On our 'New Thinking' podcast, Nashville's top public defender Dawn Deaner explains why she thinks public defending has been "set up to fail" and how working to engage the community—both those who need public defenders and those who never will—is a lifeline for a profession in crisis.
This planning guide is intended to assist courts to better meet the needs of self-represented litigants in domestic violence cases. It describes specific practices that courts can adapt, proposes ideas for enhancing existing programs, and suggests strategies for working with community partners in order to more holistically meet the diverse needs of domestic violence litigants. The information in the guide is based on the recommendations of national experts who helped identify core values and critical strategies relevant in domestic violence cases.
As part of our podcast series on prosecutor power, Scott Hechinger of Brooklyn Defender Services offers a view from the other side of the adversarial process, discussing prosecutors' impact at key decision-points in his clients' cases and the prospects for reform in a time of increasing scrutiny of prosecutorial discretion.
Lawrence Marks, the chief administrative judge of the State of New York, answers the question: How has the Center for Court Innovation helped the New York Court System advance its goals of bringing justice to the residents of New York?
Bronx County Criminal Court Supervising Judge George A. Grasso answers the question: What are some of the challenges to innovation in the court system and how do you overcome them?
On our New Thinking podcast, an audio portrait of Make It Happen, our program working with young men of color in Crown Heights, Brooklyn affected by violence. Through interviews with participants and practitioners, the episode explores the intersections of trauma, involvement with the justice system, and the lived experience of race.
Bronx County Criminal Court Supervising Judge George A. Grasso answers the question: How has the Center for Court Innovation and Bronx Community Solutions supported your work as a judge?
Lawrence Marks, the chief administrative judge of the State of New York, answers the question: What are some of the obstacles to innovation in a court system as large as New York's?
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