Renewed War on Drugs, harsher charging policies, stepped-up criminalization of immigrants — in the current climate, joining the NACDL is more important than ever. Members of NACDL help to support the only national organization working at all levels of government to ensure that the voice of the defense bar is heard.
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NACDL is committed to enhancing the capacity of the criminal defense bar to safeguard fundamental constitutional rights.
NACDL harnesses the unique perspectives of NACDL members to advocate for policy and practice improvements in the criminal legal system.
NACDL envisions a society where all individuals receive fair, rational, and humane treatment within the criminal legal system.
NACDL’s mission is to serve as a leader, alongside diverse coalitions, in identifying and reforming flaws and inequities in the criminal legal system, and redressing systemic racism, and ensuring that its members and others in the criminal defense bar are fully equipped to serve all accused persons at the highest level.
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This webinar examines new findings from The Marshall Project revealing how routine drug testing at childbirth has funneled tens of thousands of families into law enforcement systems across the country. Drawing on multi-state data and real case examples, the session explores how false positives, prescribed medications, and legally purchased substances have triggered police referrals—even when child welfare agencies later find no abuse or neglect.
Funded by a grant from Vital Strategies, NACDL hosted Defending Drug Overdose Homicides in Pennsylvania. This day-long program featured local and national speakers sharing insights and understandings regarding the complexities of drug overdose homicide prosecutions.
Presented by Kate Boulton, JD, MPH, Senior Legal Technical Advisor, Overdose Prevention Program, Vital Strategies
Funded by a grant from Vital Strategies, NACDL hosted Substance Use, Clients and Cases: Building Bridges & Breaking Barriers in Wisconsin. This multi-day program featured speakers sharing insights and understandings regarding the complexities of drug overdose homicide prosecutions.
Presented by Lisa Newman-Polk, Esq. LCSW, lawyer and social worker in private practice
Funded by a grant from Vital Strategies, NACDL hosted Substance Use, Clients and Cases: Building Bridges & Breaking Barriers. This program featured speakers sharing insights and understandings regarding the complexities of drug overdose homicide prosecutions.
Presented by Lisa Newman-Polk, Esq., LCSW
Funded by a grant from Vital Strategies, NACDL hosted Defending Drug Overdose Homicides. This multi-day program featured speakers sharing insights and understandings regarding the complexities of drug overdose homicide prosecutions.
The decades-long war on drugs distorted evidence law in drugs and guns cases leaving it littered with landmines for defense lawyers. This presentation will provide an approach for tackling the pervasive challenges defense lawyers face in drugs and guns cases such as co-conspirator statements, prior bad acts, and questionable government expert evidence.
Presented by John Albanes, Legal Director of the Return to Freedom Project, NACDL; and Sarah Gersten, General Counsel and Executive Director of Last Prisoner Project
The United States constitutes less than 5 percent of the world’s population yet is prisons house 25 percent of the worldwide prison population. This phenomenon is due large to the War on Drugs.
22nd Annual State Criminal Justice Network Conference August 16-17, 2023 | Held Virtually
Hear from state and national experts who will explore a range of strategies adopted to account for the devastating impacts of the war on drugs, highlighting the most effective modes of providing relief for individuals with prior cannabis convictions.
20th Annual State Criminal Justice Network Conference August 18-20, 2021 | Held Virtually
