Justice For All: Sixth Amendment TTA

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY19 Justice For All Reauthorization Act (JFARA) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) program includes funding to provide support for state and local governments to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The recipient of this award will work together with existing Sixth Amendment TTA partners to manage and expand a robust TTA strategy for state and local governments and their agents responsible for ensuring protection of Constitutional rights under the Sixth Amendment, with a particular focus on rural and small jurisdictions. The proposed supplemental funding will support the provision of intensive TTA support to an additional 18 sites, as well as online tools and maintenance of a website.

NCA/NCF

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY19 Justice For All Reauthorization Act (JFARA) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) program includes funding to provide support for state and local governments to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The recipient of this award will work together with existing Sixth Amendment TTA partners to manage and expand a robust TTA strategy for state and local governments and their agents responsible for ensuring protection of Constitutional rights under the Sixth Amendment, with a particular focus on rural and small jurisdictions. Building on work being done by existing partners, the recipient will provide TTA to additional jurisdictions, and will take over coordination and management of Sixth Amendment TTA activities in year two of the project. In year two, the provider will also take over the management of assessments, evaluations, and action research partnerships with state and local governments in order to support an objective assessment of existing right-to-counsel services under Sixth Amendment case law. Finally, the provider will support and then take over management of a website providing resources and online tools for criminal justice professionals dealing with right-to-counsel issues; and provide targeted technical assistance related to other Sixth Amendment issues. CA/NCF

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY19 Justice For All Reauthorization Act (JFARA) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) program includes funding to provide support for state and local governments to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The recipient of this award will work together with existing Sixth Amendment TTA partners to manage and expand a robust TTA strategy for state and local governments and their agents responsible for ensuring protection of Constitutional rights under the Sixth Amendment, with a particular focus on rural and small jurisdictions. Building on work being done by existing partners, the recipient will provide TTA to additional jurisdictions, and will take over coordination and management of Sixth Amendment TTA activities in year two of the project. In year two, the provider will also take over the management of assessments, evaluations, and action research partnerships with state and local governments in order to support an objective assessment of existing right-to-counsel services under Sixth Amendment case law. Finally, the provider will support and then take over management of a website providing resources and online tools for criminal justice professionals dealing with right-to-counsel issues; and provide targeted technical assistance related to other Sixth Amendment issues. CA/NCF

The events of the past 16 months have both exacerbated and illuminated many of the inequities of our society and left many communities and individuals reeling. But these events have also demonstrated the depth and breadth of human resolve and the opportunities for innovation and ingenuity.
A deadly pandemic forced jurisdictions to reevaluate the need for pretrial detention that is based on the ability to pay bail rather than public safety. Other jurisdictions developed processes for early release for those who have demonstrated rehabilitation during their time in prison. In other words, criminal legal system actors were forced to reimagine and reprioritize much of what was and that has allowed room for them to collectively reconsider what is possible.

In light of the high-profile instances of police use of deadly force against marginalized populations, a racial reckoning began to take shape on a national scale. Legal system actors and institutions endeavored to assess their practices with a renewed focus on addressing systemic disparities that have devasted Black and Brown communities for years. The integration of technology in our legal process has raised both opportunities for systemic improvements and alarms around the dehumanization of those individuals we charge, convict, and incarcerate.
As the demand for more efforts to address crimes involving violence and those motivated by hatred and bigotry has increased, it is critical we recall past mistakes and remember that our adversarial system functions only when both sides are adequately resourced, trained, empowered and prepared. This requires not only investing in trainings on how to meet and defend against these accusations, but also in systems that recognize the values of victim engagement and trauma-informed representation to address the harms caused to individuals and communities; and the considerations of the needs of an accused as a whole person, rather than defining them by a single incident or event.

Providing an additional $2,150,000 creates opportunities to support defender innovations to redress systemic shortcomings, help them better navigate the deluge of cases that are flooding courthouses and drowning already overwhelmed, under-resourced defense agencies, create opportunities to provide meaningful representation at first appearance, and develop the skills needed to meet the needs of clients and their communities. The funding will extend the reach of the ongoing work of NACDL and its partners to strengthen and support the Sixth Amendment. Through expanded in-depth and on-demand training and technical assistance, critical resources can be brought to jurisdictions in need, helping ensure that meaningful, effective, and enduring changes are made. Continued support for a dynamic and engaging website as well as complementary web-based educational tools will enhance the accessibility of critical information for a nationwide audience. Continued efforts to invest in the defense function will grow public trust and confidence that when an individual faces the accusations of the government, they will be able to mount a meaningful defense and have a fair opportunity to be heard.