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Summary of State and Local Justice Initiatives
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Improving the justice system is at the forefront of most, if not all bar association activities. Many court administrators and court committees are actively working on judicial reform issues. Both the bench and bar are working with citizens as partners in this goal. Understanding the impact of these activities and learning about innovative solutions to common problems is the key to continued reform progress.
The survey shows that the survey shows that bars and courts conduct a wide variety of justice improvement activities--1,035 in all. Of these, the report identifies three categories of "Justice Initiatives" involving non-lawyers: Futures commissions anticipating long-term scenarios for the system, with 20 reported, up from 11 in 1995; Justice commissions, on-going general or specific activities developing solutions to justice problems, with 175 reported, up from 11 in 1995; and Citizen conferences, forums generating two-way communication with non-lawyers, now numbering 67, up from 12 in 1995. Traditional judicial/bar efforts in a variety of areas such as access for poor and moderate income people, public education, alternative dispute resolution and juvenile justice, for example, are highlighted with listings of state bar and court organizations that have programs and/or projects in these areas. The report includes a state-by-state summary with contact names that is indexed for easy reference. This survey was conducted by the ABA Committee on State Justice Initiatives. It provides up to date information and suggestions for developing programs in your area. The American Bar Association, through its Coalition for Justice, is encouraging broad-scale improvements in state and local justice systems, with special emphasis on Justice Initiatives, which are cooperative efforts of the bench the bar and the public. Office of Justice Initiatives Editor: Mary Ann Peter, ABA Office of Justice Initiatives American Bar Association, July 2000 |
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