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.
Take a stand for a fair, rational, and humane criminal legal system
Contact members of congress, sign petitions, and more
Help us continue our fight by donating to NFCJ
Help shape the future of the association
Join the dedicated and passionate team at NACDL
Increase brand exposure while building trust and credibility
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.
Showing 1 - 15 of 744 results
This training program will aid those working to defend persons accused of homicide in drug-related overdose deaths. Each section of the program focuses on a different aspect of these cases. CLE is not available for this program.
Turning Back The Clock? Booker's Impact On Due Process Rights Of Defendants In Pipeline Cases
Federal prosecutors regularly ask courts to impose sentences within the Guidelines ranges to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparities under 18 USC §3553(a)(6), but these arguments often ignore data about what sentences are actually being imposed, especially in white-collar cases. The Sentencing Commission has made it easier to see this data through the Judiciary Sentencing Information (JSIN) platform, and regular use of JSIN data is already being tested in 1/3 of federal district courts around the country.
Dr. Nazgol Ghandnoosh will share her latest research on prison sentence lengths. In this presentation moderated by defense lawyer Seth P. Chazin, Dr. Ghandnoosh will discuss that among the many facts revealed by her research, it was clear that lengthy sentences do far more societal harm than good and that lengthier sentences are demonstrably unjustified: Although 56% of people in U.S. prisons are sentenced to 10 or more years, research shows that people “age out” of crime in 10 years – recidivism decreases dramatically after a decade and desistance takes roughly 16 years.
This session provides an overview of PATTERN and Earned Time Credits, explains how you can utilize these tools to benefit your client, and discusses how to proceed if the BOP fails to provide the time credits your client has earned. One of the prison reform provisions of the First Step Act, the Earned Time Credit program allows eligible individuals to be released early from prison or transferred to prerelease custody based on those credits. Along with BOP's risk assessment tool, PATTERN, Earned Time Credits can be an effective way to significantly decrease your client's sentence.
Based on the article published by Jon May (Jones Walker LLP, Miami, FL) and Edward R. Shohat (Jones Walker LLP, Miami, FL) in The Champion
Presented by Lindsay Bendell, Forensic Social Worker & Mitigation Specialist, Community Justice Services, LLC
Brief of Amici Curiae American Civil Liberties Union, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Cato Institute, Due Process Institute, FAMM, and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Support of Petitioners.
Explore the recent amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines that took effect on November 1, 2023, in particular those that permit for a reduction in sentence. They will offer a comprehensive overview of the these amendments, the government’s latest position on them, and practice tips on making the most of them for your clients.
What do federal judges want to know at sentencing? How will the First Step Act be implemented? What does a successful memorandum requesting probation look like?
Find these resources and more here.
Co-Sponsored by Georgetown University Law Center’s American Criminal Law Review
The landscape of sentencing policy has shifted in recent years, with federal and state lawmakers advocating fewer draconian penalties and beginning to scale back certain sentences. It is clear that the United States stands at a critical juncture for sentencing reform. This symposium is designed to equip practitioners and policy advocates with the latest strategies and research to seize the moment and foster more rational and humane policies.
Panel from the 2020 Presidential Summit and Sentencing Symposium, co-hosted with the Georgetown University Law Center American Criminal Law Review
Keynote speakers from the 2020 Presidential Summit and Sentencing Symposium, co-hosted with the Georgetown University Law Center American Criminal Law Review