[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1682706311203{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #263797 !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1682706531697{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”]Guy Lang, the Defender’s Director of Youth Programs and Community Outreach, stopped by the Germantown Info Hub podcast to talk about his grassroots approach to working with community members, and share information on the Jr. Defender and other Defender Association outreach programs. Listen to the episode below.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1682706500919{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #263797 !important;}”][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Category: Participatory Defense
August 13: Expungement Event
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On Saturday, August 13, we’re teaming up with the Elevation Project for a
“Celebration of Second Chances!”
Join us from 2 to 6 p.m. at Haverford Avenue to receive criminal record expungement info from Defender Attorneys. Plus, check out the food trucks, giveaways and other community resources!
Pre-Registration is encouraged, but not required. Click here to pre-register for this event.
Click the image below to download the event flyer
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Empowering Communities
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Click the links below to learn more about our efforts to partner with community organizations and improve outcomes for justice-involved people.
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Defenders connect clients to community-based services and supports from the beginning stages of the criminal justice process.
[/ultimate_heading][dt_button link=”https://phillydefenders.org/social-services” button_alignment=”center”]LEARN MORE[/dt_button][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][ultimate_heading main_heading=”Participatory Defense” main_heading_color=”#1e73be” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:18px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:18px;” main_heading_margin=”margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:15px;” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;”]
Participatory defense hubs utilize trained community volunteers to provide insight, perspective, and support to those being charged and their families as they navigate the justice system.
[/ultimate_heading][dt_button link=”https://phillydefenders.org/participatorydefense” button_alignment=”center”]LEARN MORE[/dt_button][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][ultimate_heading main_heading=”Pre-entry Coalition” main_heading_color=”#1e73be” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:18px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:18px;” main_heading_margin=”margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:15px;” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;”]
With our community partners, we have developed a blueprint for a pre-trial system that protects due process, and prioritizes community-based supports over cash bail to create a fair, cost-effective system that improves the safety of our communities.
[/ultimate_heading][dt_button link=”https://phillydefenders.org/pre-entry-coalition” button_alignment=”center”]LEARN MORE[/dt_button][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][ultimate_heading main_heading=”Restorative Response Program” main_heading_color=”#1e73be” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:18px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:18px;” main_heading_margin=”margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:15px;” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;”]
The Restorative Response Program draws on the tenets of Restorative Justice and emphasizes community re-engagement over criminal punishment
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For questions or additional information about community partnerships, contact Kavita Goyal: KGoyal@philadefender.org
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Defender Association Receives $25k for Participatory Defense Hubs
PHILADELPHIA–The Defender Association of Philadelphia has been awarded a $25,000 from the R.K. Mellon Family Foundation to support the work of Philadelphia’s Participatory Defense Hubs. The award follows a $100,000 Key to Community grant from the Malinda R. Farrow Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation that was awarded following a public vote.
“Winning these awards is a big deal because it shows that foundations, the public, and other charitable funding sources are starting to recognize the value of participatory defense programs,” said Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey, “This continues the momentum to make the case to the public and elected officials.”
Launched in 2018, Philadelphia’s participatory defense hubs utilize community support to prepare and empower individuals and families as they navigate the criminal justice system. The hubs’ trained volunteers and facilitators give people a deeper understanding of what is expected from them at each stage of the criminal justice process, including meetings with their attorney, court dates, and other critical steps. Philly currently has seven neighborhood-based hubs that meet weekly.
“Our Participatory Defense Hubs are mostly run by volunteers who are extending themselves to help their neighbors navigate the criminal justice system,” said Martha Williams, a leader of the Philly Hubs, “These funds will give our Hubs more resources to help us provide knowledge and support to even more people in our community.”
The funds from the R.K. Mellon Family Foundation will be managed by the Defender Association, who will disburse them directly to support the Participatory Defense Hubs.
“These community-based hubs are already making a huge difference in people’s lives. These funds will help them boost the impact they’re already having in their neighborhoods,” said Bradford-Grey, “It’s a testament to what can happen when we work together to highlight the importance of participatory defense for just outcomes in the criminal justice system.”
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2019 Defender Highlights
It was a truly great year for the Defender Association of Philadelphia! In 2019, the hard work of our practice units, community partnerships, and other departments led to some major achievements and accomplishments!
Here are some highlights:
We welcomed a diverse and talented class of new attorneys…
Our work sparked a major dialogue on police accountability and “stop and frisk” in the City of Philadelphia…
Marijuana smell from cars is the least of the Philadelphia Police Department’s problems | Editorial
They know this is a black guy here’: Police stops of black drivers are skyrocketing in Philadelphia
What happens when Philly police get body cameras — but don’t turn them on?
We launched our Pre-Entry Coalition with a successful event
at CCP…
at CCP…
READ MORE: Coalition aims to support people who are arrested
Our entire team won major victories for our clients–and for criminal justice reform!
READ MORE: Michael White Not Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter in Rittenhouse Stabbing Trial
READ MORE: Pa. Supreme Court cites ‘egregious error,’ frees Philly man jailed by Meek Mill’s judge for probation violations
Our Adult Social Services team had their work included in two University of Pennsylvania textbooks!
Working with our community partners, we successfully crowdfunded a campaign to win a $100k Melinda R. Farrow Fund (of the Philadelphia Foundation) grant for Participatory Defense Hubs!
Nearly 50 Defender clients received assistance from the Hubs this year!
Defenders were all over the city, conducting expungement clinics and sharing information and resources with the community!
READ MORE: Imagine Being on Trial. With Exonerating Evidence Trapped on Your Phone.
READ MORE: Still scarce, Digital-Forensics Crawls into Public Defenders Offices
The Alternative Sentencing Unit had another busy and productive 2019, filing over 1,350 Early Termination Petitions and working to get early parole for eligible clients!
Our Children and Youth Justice (formerly Juvenile) Unit made a real difference this year, from establishing community office hours, joining a citywide task force dedicated to reducing placements in favor of supportive services, launching Project success, and so much more!
The Appeals Division continued its tradition of winning relief for clients who received unjust trials or sentences. Defender attorneys also won changes to the law in the PA Supreme Court!
COMMONWEALTH v. FOSTER
OPINION: JUSTICE DONOHUE. The issue presented in this case asks for a determination of what constitutes a permissible basis for a court to find an individual in violation of probation…
COMMONWEALTH v. SANTIAGO
OPINION: JUSTICE TODD. The fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine prohibits the admission of evidence at trial that was tainted byby unconstitutional actions by law enforcement officials…
Video: Participatory Defense in Philadelphia
The Defender Association teamed up with leaders and volunteers from Philadelphia’s participatory defense hubs to tell the story of this community-based model transforming the criminal justice system.
Learn more about participatory defense and find a hub near you.
![[Click the link in our bio to read the statement from @khudson_phillydefender]
"Our (mostly Black and Brown) clients never get to present or argue a justification defense at a preliminary hearing. And they certainly do not get their cases dismissed based on a judge’s determination that there was a justification defense.
"Instead, our clients—all of whom are poor and almost exclusively Black and Brown people—have their cases held for trial, and they sit in jail for months awaiting their day in court. Going forward, certainly before this forum, Defender Association attorneys will be making the same arguments and demanding the same results."
#criminaljusticereform
@nlada @bpda_justice](https://phillydefenders.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
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