Equal Justice Division

    Co-Executive Directors

    Sidney Butcher, Denise Langford Morris

    Juvenile Justice Committee

    Co-Chairs: Ernestine Gray, Michael Pope

    The Committee develops CLE programs for juvenile justice practitioners, develops policies to further national juvenile justice reform, and coordinates selection of the Livingston Hall Juvenile Justice Award.

    Issues of Interest:

           1. Continue the work on the Juvenile Offender Sex Registry

           2.  Continue the work on the Resolution on Child Torture

           3.  Continue to the work to implement the Resolution on Solitary Confinement in partnership with the Center For Children’s Law and Policy and their campaign to “Stop Solitary for Kids

    Resource: View IJA-ABA Standards for Juvenile Justice

    LGBT Committee

    Co-Chairs: Lousene Hoppe, Randy Katz

    The Committee considers issues such as selective enforcement of the law, “gay panic defense”, juror selection, domestic violence in LGBT relationships, hate crimes and other issues as it relates to the LGBT community.

    Mental Health Committee

    Co-Chairs: Guy Arcidiacono, Steven Leifman, Virginia Murphrey

    This Committee serves as a resource on issues related to people who are both living with mental illness and involved with the criminal justice system, including: the rights and protection of inmates and pre-trial detainees with mental illness, issues surrounding voluntary and involuntary treatment; resources available in the prosecution and defense of persons with mental illness; the role of judges in cases involving persons with mental illness; and advocating for diversion and re-entry programs where appropriate for offenders with mental illness. Work with other CJS committees and ABA entities such as the Commission on Disability Rights and Section of Health Law as they relate to the arrest, detention, treatment, sentencing, and release and re-entry of persons with mental illness.

    Military Justice Committee

    Co-Chairs: Stephen Saltzburg, Amanda Williams                           

    The Committee provides advice, recommendations and expertise on military justice matters coming before the Section. Promotes a greater understanding of the U.S. military justice system among Association members, the profession, and the public. Prepares comments on the proposed Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and the Manual for Courts-Martial (MCM), under consideration by Congress and the Department of Defense.

    Racial Justice/Diversity Committee

    Chair: Salma Safiedine

    The Committee examines the causes of disproportionate representation of minorities in the criminal justice system and develops proposed solutions; engages in activities concerning the role of minority lawyers and oversees the Section’s efforts to reduce discriminatory conduct affecting racial and ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system.

    The Race and Diversity Committee will focus on the following this year:

    1. Implicit bias training

    2. Publication of A How to Manual to Implement Criminal Justice Reform 

    3.  Promotion of the Racial Justice Improvement Project's new grant site in Forsyth County North Carolina

    4.  Create panels and presentation centered around Racial Justice Issues particularly in Policing, Bail, and Sentencing.

    See Racial Justice Improvement Project.

    Tribal Lands Committee

    Chair: Barry Coburn

    -- Examine issues affecting the rule of law in Native American communities.

    --Develop policy initiatives and resolutions to: recognize and protect the rights of Native Americans by promoting the rule of law; effectively intervene with and restore those victimized by child abuse on Tribal Lands; effectively intervene and restore all victims on Tribal Lands of sexual assault, domestic and all other forms of criminal violence, human trafficking and exploitation; intervene with, rehabilitate and restore to their communities those who have committed such acts on Tribal Lands; and promote the right to counsel on Tribal Lands.

    Victims Committee

    Co-Chairs: Bradley Berry, Anuththara Ratnayake Macy

    The Committee examines developing issues that affect crime victims, including those related to domestic violence. Examines ways of ensuring the fair treatment of victims by the criminal justice system.

    Goals:

    • Create a coalition of leaders from crime victims organizations to voice where we can improve the criminal justice system for victims, and to work to implement those changes
    • Work in conjunction with the potential taskforce on victim’s rights to update standards.
    • Sponsor resolutions and chapters that highlight gaps in the criminal justice system that create injustice for victims and work to resolve them.

    Women in Criminal Justice Committee

    Co-Chairs: Gloria Ochoa-Bruck, Rachel Pickering

    This Committee explores issues of concern to women attorneys (defense, prosecution, etc.), judges, other allied to the criminal justice field, and the needs of women as victims, witnesses and defendants. Promotes networking and career opportunities for women.

    Goals:

    1. Explore the expanding role of women in criminal justice.

    2.  A renewed perspective of women in the criminal justice field and the intersection with other legal areas such a civil rights and immigration.

    3. Submit an article on A Fresh Look at the The Expanding Role of Women in Criminal Justice.

    4. Organize and present a panel at the Spring Conference regarding this topic.