You Have The Right To A Lawyer, But When?

Early representation changes everything

Cash Bail Is Expensive And Unsafe

Across the US, cities, counties, and some states are re-evaluating the use of cash bail.

Criminal Court Processes are Punishments Themselves

It is critical that Americans also acknowledge that powerful institutions inflict violence on people presumed innocent under the law every day. As it stands, the system is directly at odds with the idea that Americans are “innocent until proven guilty”, inflicting severe and traumatizing punishment long before a person sees a jury of their peers.

"Collateral Consequences" of the Criminal Legal System: An Overview

Empowering Public Defenders Transforms The Legal System

In its current form, the American carceral system robs people of opportunity, tears families apart, and destabilizes entire communities. Unlike police, prisons, and prosecutors, public defenders are uniquely situated to empower those facing the criminal legal system, shrink the system itself by reducing incarceration, and transform our approach to public safety.