| The Justice Programs Office, a center in the School of Public Affairs, and the Right to Counsel National Campaign announced the release of a new report that highlights how criminal justice reforms can and should incorporate the voices of public defenders, seeking to elevate the criminal justice reform conversation. Working together, criminal justice stakeholders can effectuate change and implement sustainable reforms. This document identifies pressure points in the justice system where we can make real change regarding the state of public defense systems and create a strategic plan for engagement, building on the Right to Counsel National Campaign’s existing theory of change. While investment in direct public defense reforms is critically important, investing in and involving public defense providers in systemic reform efforts, such as the ones detailed in this report, are essential for comprehensive, sustainable system change. We then hope to show how defense, instead of being an obstacle to reform or a separate component of the criminal justice system, can be a solution for many criminal justice challenges. To read the report, click here. To learn more about the Right to Counsel National Campaign, check out the website here and their social media channel here.For more information, please contact Project Director Genevieve Citrin Ray atcitrin@american.edu. |
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