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.
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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.
Resources related to drug overdose homicide, including training materials to educate defenders on the legal, scientific, and cultural issues surrounding drug overdose homicide prosecutions.
NACDL calls upon the federal and state governments to end the War on Drugs by declaring all drug use to be a health rather than a criminal problem and immediately repeal all laws criminalizing the possession, use and delivery of controlled substances. NACDL fights the discriminatory enforcement and disproportionate impact of drug laws on marginalized communities.
"Nothing has contributed more to the systematic mass incarceration of people of color in the United States than the War on Drugs." Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow (2010)
"Nothing has contributed more to the systematic mass incarceration of people of color in the United States than the War on Drugs."
Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow (2010)
Resources on drug law reform.
NACDL worked with partners to successfully oppose drug trafficking homicide legislation in Arizona.
NACDL is working with partners to advocate for drug defelonization in Arizona.
NACDL hereby responds to the Commission’s request for comment on retroactive application to Amendment 3 from this year’s amendment cycle, which decreased the drug table set forth in USSG §2D1.1 by two-offense levels across all drug types and without limit to any specific offender characteristics. NACDL joins with the Federal Defenders and the Practitioners Advisory Group in whole-heartedly endorsing retroactivity without any limitation.
NACDL President Jim Lavine's written statement to the U.S. Sentencing Commission regarding proposed amendments to the sentencing guidelines, particularly in relation to the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 (S. 1789).
NACDL President Edward Mallett's written statement to the U.S. Sentencing Commission regarding proposed amendments to the sentencing guidelines for ecstasy offenses.
Written statement of NACDL second vice president E.E. (Bo) Edwards to the Judicial Review Commission on Foreign Asset Control regarding the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (H.R. 3164, 1999).
Coalition letter to the U.S. Sentencing Commission regarding sentencing policies for federal cocaine offenses.
UNITED STATES’ OPPOSITION CR-12-0030 EMC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 MELINDA HAAG (CABN 132612) United States Attorney J. DOUGLAS WILSON (DCBN 412811) Chief, Criminal Division S. WAQAR HASIB (CABN 234818) ALEXANDRA P. SUMMER (CABN 266485) Assistant United States Attorneys
20th Annual State Criminal Justice Network Conference August 18-20, 2021 | 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.
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a bar association with thousands of criminal defense lawyers who practice in the federal courts across our nation, fully supports elimination of the unwarranted disparity in federal cocaine sentences pursuant to “The Drug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act” [H.R. 4545/S. 1711]. Federal sentences for drug offenses are based on the weight of the controlled substance. For two decades, federal sentencing laws have treated possession of one gram of cocaine base as the equivalent of 100 grams of powder cocaine.
