On March 18, 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court granted that criminal defendants have the right to a state-appointed attorney if they are unable to afford one themselves. This Sixth Amendment right was found to be constitutionally justified for criminal defendants through the Fourteenth Amendment. Because of this landmark decision, March 18 marks National Public Defender Day.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has over 20 open solicitations for grant funding with deadlines in March through May. These BJA competitive grants cover a wide range of issues in many criminal justice areas for law enforcement agencies and organizations who support them. If you have a funding need, consider applying for the current solicitations to get funded for the upcoming fiscal year.
The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) provides support, resources—including webinars, podcasts, training videos, and COVID-19 resources—and training and technical assistance (TTA) to enhance tribal justice systems. NAICJA is an advocate for tribal justice systems.
The National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, “provides a nationwide support system for law enforcement and regulatory agencies involved in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of economic and high-tech crime.” They offer training and technical assistance on responding to white collar and related crimes.
As part of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI), the Urban Institute partners with states to provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to help them “implement innovative, data-driven, and comprehensive approaches to reduce crime, cut recidivism rates, and direct resources toward more cost-effective safety strategies.” To capture states’ efforts under the TTA program, Urban Institute has published
As part of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Policy Implementation Program, CNA and its partners Arizona State University, Justice & Security Strategies, and the International City/County Management Association’s Center for Public Safety Management manage a BWC Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) website. The BWC TTA website hosts many resources that help agencies implement BWC technology. These resources include the following:
Substance abuse diversion programs can help law enforcement and other first responders to direct individuals who have overdosed toward community-based behavioral health services and away from the criminal justice system.
Community courts provide a flexible, tailored approach to justice in local communities. There are many diverse community courts ranging from peer-to-peer courts, mediation, restorative courts, and more. Some function on their own and some complement traditional courts. Their high adaptability, however, makes it hard to evaluate them.