On November 14, 2016, Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates delivered the annual Noreen E. McNamara Memorial Lecture at Fordham University School of Law in New York City, New York. Her opening remarks focused on the continuing efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to support criminal justice reform across all aspects of the criminal justice system. She reflected on the importance of reevaluating topics such as mandatory minimum sentencing laws, in addition to other issues that deeply impact U.S. communities.
Referencing innovations around drug courts and recidivism reduction programs, Deputy Attorney General Yates commended bold criminal justice reforms, such as the Smart on Crime Initiative, occurring across the nation. She concluded by emphasizing the need to continue these evidence-based strategies and innovations with the involvement of multiple and varied bipartisan advocates and organizations.
Read the full transcript of Deputy Attorney General Yates’s remarks.
If your community is interested in reducing crime through criminal justice reform, reach out to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) to request no-cost training or technical assistance.