Policy research and development is a top priority for the Section, so that we may stay well-informed and at the forefront of the latest advances in the field of criminal law. It is in the committees – which are constantly referenced as the “Life Blood” of the Section – where this process begins.

During our Fall Meeting (Nov. 5-7 in Washington, D.C.) the Section Council considered 11 policy recommendations, each addressing a cutting-edge issue important to the criminal justice community. Topics to be addressed by these proposed recommendations include: Transparency of the DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility; Misdemeanor Prosecutions; Treatment of Prisoner Standards; National Academy of Sciences report; Lawyers and Politics; Attorney Error v. Attorney “Misconduct”; Standardized Miranda Warnings for Juvenile Arrestees; Collateral Consequences for Juveniles; Judicial Role in Avoiding Wrongful Convictions; Impact of Incarceration on the Mother-Child Relationship; Need for Legal Services for Prisoners on Family Law Issues; and Alternatives to Incarceration for Pregnant or New Mothers.   MORE