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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Testimony of Mathias H. Heck, Jr. on Behalf of the American Bar Association for the Hearing on Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions and the Problem af Over-Criminalization af Federal Law Before the Committee on the Judiciary Task Force on Over-Criminalization of the United States House of Representatives
Written Statement of Rick Jones, Executive Director Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem On behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Before the House Committee on the Judiciary Over-Criminalization Task Force Re: “Collateral Consequences”
In Part II of the discussion on Race and Collateral Consequences, we explore how the use of “moral character” clauses, like those used in state bar licensing, can prevent individuals with convictions from participating in the legal profession. We also discuss a range of restrictions to entrepreneurial ventures that people with criminal convictions face that range from limiting a person’s ability to access capital through loans to barring participation in the legal, regulated cannabis industry.
In celebration of Second Chance Month in April, NACDL hosts the first of two discussions on race and collateral consequences. Panelists discuss the long-term impacts of criminal convictions, the specific harm that collateral consequences have caused to communities of color, and what it will take to meaningfully change this system.
Coalition letter to Senate leadership regarding the flawed use of debt-based drivers license suspensions to compel payment of court fines and fees, as addressed in the Driving for Opportunity Act of 2021 (S. 998, H.R. 2453).
When a criminal defense attorney sees a drug or drug-related charge alleged against a noncitizen client, the attorney should immediately think of immigration consequences. The main defense strategies for drug cases are as follows, in order of preference: (1) avoiding a drug conviction entirely through dismissal or negotiation; (2) if a drug conviction is unavoidable, avoid an aggravated felony; (3) plead to a substance that is not federally controlled; or (4) create a vague record of conviction as to the substance if the state law is overbroad.
The S Visa is a special program designed to allow law enforcement to provide legal status to remain in the U.S. to non-citizens cooperating with investigations and prosecutions, in exchange for that cooperation. This report and its recommendations shine the light on the failure of government to properly administer the S Visa Program. Currently, eligible individuals who might provide information and cooperation are discouraged, and their attorneys find themselves unable to assure clients of the government’s ability to timely follow through on the exchange. [Released June 2021]
Letter to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) regarding proposed changes to Section 19, which regulates restrictions for people with relevant criminal convictions.
Comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service regarding proposed changes to SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD).
Comments to the Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure regarding a proposed amendment to Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Coalition letter to the Oregon state legislative leadership regarding efforts to restore voting and other rights to people convicted of felony offenses, as proposed in HB 2366 / SB 571 (2021).
Resolution designating April 2017 as "Second Chance Month" sponsored by Senator Portman (OH).
The NACDL Task Force on Restoration of Rights and Status after Conviction held hearings in six cities and the transcripts on this page reflect the testimony of the over 150 witnesses who appeared at the hearings.
Hearings on Barriers to Social Re-Entry And Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions – Washington, DC (July 23, 2012) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ (NACDL) Task Force on Restoration of Rights and Status After Conviction will hold its fourth national hearing on how legal mechanisms for relief from the collateral consequences of conviction are actually working in state and federal systems on Thursday and Friday, July 26 and 27, 2012, in San Francisco, California at the offices of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, 405 Howard St.
Between 2012 and 2014, NACDL’s Task Force on Restoration of Rights and Status After Conviction embarked on a study of relief mechanisms available to those with a conviction on their record on the local, state and federal level. At an event at the Open Society Foundations in Washington, DC, NACDL released a major new report that comprehensively explored the stigma and policies relegating tens of millions of people in America to second-class status because of an arrest or conviction. [Released May 2014]
