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November 2020

The Case for Including Public Defense in System-Wide Reform Efforts, Including CJCC Membership

The Justice Programs Office, a center in the School of Public Affairs, and the Right to Counsel National Campaign recently released a report that highlights how criminal justice reforms can and should incorporate the voices of public defenders, seeking to elevate the criminal justice reform conversation.

This document identifies pressure points in the justice system and strategic planning 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.

Included in the report is a section specifically on the inclusion of public defense providers in criminal justice coordinating councils (CJCCs). Members of the National Network of Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils weighed in about the important voice public defense representatives bring to their CJCCs.

To read the report, click here.

Second Annual National Co-Responder Conference: Save the Date & Call for Presenters!

The Johnson County (Kansas) Mental Health Center invites law enforcement agencies, mental health providers, community stakeholders, elected officials, schools and partner organizations to save the date for the second annual National Co-Responder Conference.

Monday, June 7 - Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Embassy Suites Kansas City/Olathe, Olathe, Kansas

Early bird registration is $300 and will open by late November. Full registration will be $400. This conference is scheduled for in person. The CoRCon Planning Committee will follow all public health guidelines and is developing a virtual conference as a contingency. The committee will communicate any changes as they occur. More information is available here.

The theme for #CoRCon 2021 is The Right Response. Now, more than ever, it is important to respond to each individual situation at the right time, with the right professional, using the right interventions. Practitioners and subject matter experts are invited to submit presentation proposals for 60-minute breakout sessions by December 18. Topics might include starting a program, intervention protocols, data collection or any other relevant information for starting a new or building on a current co-responder program. Preference will be given to presentations that focus on innovative interventions, lessons learned and problem solving rather than general program overviews.

Proposals can be submitted here.

Charleston County’s CJCC Helps to Significantly Reduce Jail Bookings

Charleston County’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), created in 2015, has contributed to an unprecedented reduction in local jail bookings. Recommendations made by the CJCC after gathering and reviewing data, led to collaboration with four law enforcement agencies in Charleston County to agree not to automatically bring people accused of five specific charges to the jail. This has resulted in a 73 percent reduction in jail bookings on those charges since 2014 and, more specifically, a 93 percent reduction in bookings for simple possession of marijuana over the last few years.

Learn more about the efforts of the Charleston CJCC and hear from the council’s Director, Kristy Danford, here.

More On the Voice of Public Defenders in CJCCs…

The report highlighted at the top of this newsletter describes the participation of public defense providers on criminal justice coordinating councils (CJCCs), for which members of the NNCJCC weighed in. We thought we would share a number of quotes from the feedback we received about the important role public defenders play in their councils.

Our Public Defender plays an important role on our CJCC. He promotes and supports innovative programs and is an essential member of our Executive Committee.

Our Public Defender plays a pivotal role in pushing our leadership forward and championing a number of our reform initiatives. He is arguably one of our most active members.

The Public Defender is the vice chair of our CJCC, a great advocate, and brings balance to CJCC conversations.

The Public Defender is an important part of our work and brings a significant perspective to local reform efforts specifically jail population management and bail reform.

The Public Defender brings balance to a lot of our discussions and keeps defendant’s rights as part of our policy and practice conversations. He has been quite influential in much of our local reform efforts.

The defense bar really appreciates the CJCC format and work as it has instituted some reforms they have advocated for some time. The Public Defender has also accepted some changes they were initially opposed to through the work of the CJCC.

Public defenders have a very important role and their voice must be heard.

Our Public Defender is among the most outspoken on the CJCC and our CJCC would be less without him.

Forward to a friend!

The Justice Management Institute
3033 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 414-5477
www.jmijustice.org

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