The Defender’s offices are closed until April 1, but attorneys and staff will continue working on behalf of clients through the coronavirus emergency
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Category: Press Release
Defender Association to Reduce Client Interview Hours During COVID-19 Emergency
PHILADELPHIA–Due to staffing shortages spurred by the COVID-19 outbreak, the new hours for client interviews at the Defender Association of Philadelphia will be 12:30 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We understand that this is a major disruption for many of our clients,” said Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey, “But it’s critical that we strike the right balance between the health of our staff and our obligation to our clients and the courts.”
As an added safety measure, the Defender will also be limiting the number of clients in the reception area. Once this capacity is reached, clients will be asked to either return at a later time or to leave their phone number to be contacted for a telephone interview. Bradford-Grey noted that these measures, while disruptive, are only temporary.
“With all of the school closings and safety concerns, we’re going to be operating with a ‘skeleton crew’ of attorneys and staff for at least a couple of weeks. But it’s our intention to return to normal staffing levels the moment our local health officials tell us that it’s safe.”
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Keir Bradford-Grey on Mayor’s Budget Address
PHILADELPHIA–“In today’s budget address, Mayor Kenney outlined a bold, progressive, yet practical vision for Philadelphia.
“The Defender Association of Philadelphia is particularly encouraged by the Mayor’s plan to take a multifaceted, community-informed approach to public safety. Mayor Kenney’s commitment to reforming our justice system by investing in re-entry, juvenile justice reforms and the eventual elimination of cash bail aligns well with the Defender’s priorities.
“As the budget season unfolds, we look forward to working with City Council to share our vision for providing legal counsel, social services and other supports for our most vulnerable citizens.”
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Keir Bradford-Grey on Firing of MontCo Defenders
PHILADELPHIA–“The sudden termination of Montgomery County’s top defenders, Dean Beer (chief) and Keisha Hudson (deputy) chief is a stunning move that will have a negative, chilling effect on public defenders who want to provide the best possible representation for indigent clients.
“Beer and Hudson were doing the critical work of not just representing their clients in court, but advocating for the communities who are most impacted by the justice system. There have been several reports that these defenders were fired for their filing of an amicus brief that criticized MontCo’s bail hearing practices. If that’s true, then the county has taken a major step backward at a time when the rest of the nation is making meaningful justice system reforms.
“It’s a stark contrast from Philadelphia, where we’re fortunate to be represented in Philadelphia by elected leaders like Council President Darrell Clarke and Councilmember Curtis Jones, who made it a point to give the Defender a leadership position on their Criminal Justice Reform Committee.
“Today’s news should alarm every public defender in the nation. We have fought too hard for positive changes in our justice system to sit quietly while defenders are bullied into complying with ‘business as usual’ by those who wish to turn back the clock on the progress we have made.”
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Kier Bradford-Grey on Use of ODARA
PHILADELPHIA–“The Defender Association of Philadelphia opposes the PA Sentencing Commission’s selection of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) as the tool that used to assess the future likelihood of domestic violence against an intimate partner.
“Our full testimony submitted to the Sentencing Commission details serious flaws and concerns with ODARA:
- The adoption of any Domestic Violence Pretrial Risk Assessment Tool is premature since there has been no effort to perform the necessary validation to ensure the tool is accurate and free of racial or economic bias;
- We have specific concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the ODARA because of the information that it relies on and the way that information is collected; and
- We believe that by designating individuals who are part of non-traditional or blended families, who have limited resources, and who live in over-policed communities as ‘higher risk’, the ODARA will exacerbate racial disparities in the pretrial release process.
“Finally, we do not believe that these types of actuarial risk assessment tools can–nor should–ever replace an individualized decision-making process where the accused has the benefit of counsel.
For these reasons, ODARA is an inappropriate tool to assess pretrial risk in cases involving allegations of domestic violence.”
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The Defender Association of Philadelphia is an independent, nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, client-centered legal representation, connection to social services, and re-entry support to adults and juveniles in Philadelphia. Our organization represents nearly 70 percent of adults and juveniles arrested in the City of Philadelphia.
Defender Association Receives $250K for Technology Upgrades
PHILADELPHIA—State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) joined Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey to announce the Defender Association of Philadelphia was the recipient of a $250,000 grant award.
The funding comes from the state’s Department of Education Job Training and Workforce Development grant and will be used to fund the association’s technological improvements in the form of mobile office kits, laptops, scanners and the replacement of 15-year-old network switches to continue to provide high-quality representation and educational programming.
The Defender Association has been recognized as one of three public defender offices in the entire country that has been able to leverage technology to defend clients. Bradford-Grey said the state funding will enhance these efforts by providing attorneys with ‘real-time’ remote access to case materials and accurate digital records; decreasing maintenance costs; and providing technical assistance to community-led neighborhood defense hubs.
“We live in a time where more and more information is digitized and stored virtually. From access to video surveillance footage to the information stored on smartphones, access to this information can make the difference between freedom or life in prison for the accused. ” Bradford- Grey said.
The funding comes from the state’s Department of Education Job Training and Workforce Development grant and will be used to fund the association’s technological improvements in the form of mobile office kits, laptops, scanners and the replacement of 15-year-old network switches to continue to provide high-quality representation and educational programming.
The Defender Association has been recognized as one of three public defender offices in the entire country that has been able to leverage technology to defend clients. Bradford-Grey said the state funding will enhance these efforts by providing attorneys with ‘real-time’ remote access to case materials and accurate digital records; decreasing maintenance costs; and providing technical assistance to community-led neighborhood defense hubs.
“We live in a time where more and more information is digitized and stored virtually. From access to video surveillance footage to the information stored on smartphones, access to this information can make the difference between freedom or life in prison for the accused. ” Bradford- Grey said.
“If we truly want to balance the scales of justice in the information age, public defender’s must have access to the ever-changing technology to provide state-of-the-art representation for their clients,” Sen. Hughes said. “I am hopeful this grant will have a tremendous impact on our community and improve outcomes for their client and their families.”
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Chief Defender on PJI Reversal on Risk Assessment Tools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2020
February 7, 2020
CONTACT:
George Jackson | 267.765.6768 | gjackson@philadefender.org
PHILADELPHIA–“The Defender Association of Philadelphia would like to applaud the Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI) for the public and courageous reversal of their previous position on pre-trial risk assessment tools. As they noted in their latest position paper, these tools ‘can no longer be a part of our solution for building equitable pre-trial justice systems.
“Rather than accomplish their stated goal of reducing the pretrial prison populations, the data used in RAT reinforce the justice system’s existing class and racial biases. The Defender Association has been consistent in our opposition to the use of these tools. Last spring we submitted an alternative proposal to RAT to the District Attorney, City Council and the First Judicial District (FJD); and DA [Larry] Krasner and I disavowed the use of RAT in a letter to FJD. While some were perplexed by our stance at the time, the PJI’s acknowledgment of the inherent racial bias of the tool is a validation of our position.
“In order to effect real change, and develop reforms that work, we need to truly listen to the voices of the people and neighborhoods who most often come into contact with our justice system. That’s why the Defender invests resources to support our city’s participatory defense hubs, our pre-entry coalition, and other community partnerships. We have seen measurable improvements in outcomes when our citizens are a part of the process.
“It is truly heartening that the PJI is beginning to realize the value and impact of these community voices.”
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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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Keir Bradford-Grey on Selection of New Police Chief
PHILADELPHIA–“The Defender Association of Philadelphia congratulates and welcomes Philadelphia’s new Police Commissioner, Danielle Outlaw.
“As Philadelphia’s Public Defender, our work has been a driving force behind renewed calls for more effective policing, particularly as it relates to law enforcement practices in the city’s black and brown neighborhoods. Mayor Kenney’s selection of the city’s first African American woman to this crucial position demonstrates a recognition of the need for reforms and improved relationships between Philly’s police officers and communities.
“The police play a pivotal role in ensuring that those accused of crimes are given a fair trial. The Defender Association welcomes the opportunity to share what we’ve learned from our expansive pool of police accountability data with our new police chief. We’re hopeful for a productive working relationship that will ensure that our justice system provides every Philadelphia citizen with the fairness, respect, and dignity they deserve.”
Nation’s first youth participatory defense hub opens this week in Philadelphia
For further information, contact:
Josh Glenn, YASP – 267-407-8135
Mandy Nace, Defender Association – 267-765-6319
PHILADELPHIA (April 1, 2019) The Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP), an advocacy group that supports children charged as adults in the city’s criminal justice system, today announced the launch of the nation’s first participatory defense hub specifically for children and youth entangled in the criminal justice system with support from the Defender Association of Philadelphia and other organizations committed to youth justice.
Participatory defense hubs help individuals and families navigate the criminal justice system with community support. Community organizers working with Silicon Valley De-Bug created the participatory defense model in San Jose, California and have worked to open hubs in cities and towns across the country. The Youth Participatory Defense Hub is Philadelphia’s fourth active community hub – but will be the first in the city and in the nation dedicated to children and youth navigating the juvenile delinquency system and children charged as adults.
“When I was younger, I had to navigate the court system and deal with lawyers and judges largely on my own. It would have been really helpful to have a space like this that I could go to for support,” reflected YASP Co-Director Josh Glenn. “We hope this hub can help young people feel more empowered as their cases move through the system, and lead to more young people remaining at home with their families and able to access the support and guidance they need in our communities.”
The Youth Participatory Defense Hub will meet every Tuesday from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the Institute for Community Justice at 1207 Chestnut Street, Second floor. Hub facilitators and volunteers will support youth and families through the justice process, providing support on court dates, and helping them create social biographies to present themselves as more than a case file. Participatory defense hubs do not offer legal advice pertaining to the facts of a case but will share general information to help prepare for meetings with their attorney.
The Defender Association of Philadelphia provides “Know Your Systems” training and guidance to Philadelphia’s participatory defense hubs and supports the expansion of the program to more neighborhoods throughout the city.
“Participatory defense is transforming the landscape of power in the criminal justice system by engaging our communities,” said Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey. “The need for this type of support for children and youth is so critical. Children caught up in the juvenile system and their parents who go to the Youth Participatory Defense Hub will get information and support to help them make better decisions and get better outcomes. Meaningful criminal justice reform starts in our communities, and the Defender Association is proud to support organizations like YASP to support children and youth through the justice process through this new hub.”
Raj Jayadev, an organizer for SV De-Bug and the National Participatory Defense Networks, applauded the effort. “The launch of YASP’s youth centered participatory defense hub really is an inspiration for communities across the country who are looking for ways to flex community power and knowledge to protect our young people in the most proximate and tangible ways.”
The Institute for Community Justice (ICJ), a Program of Philadelphia FIGHT, will host the new hub in its Center City Offices at 1207 Chestnut Street, Second Floor.
“I’m thrilled that the idea of a participatory defense hub to support our children is becoming reality,” added Leola Hardy, Chief of the Defender Association’s Children and Youth Justice Unit. “Time after time we see our clients and their families struggling to navigate the system. Our team of attorneys, social workers, and administrative professionals work hard to support them through the system but this new hub will bring community into the process and support better outcomes for our kids. I’m so proud of all the work YASP has done to open this new hub.”
The Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) is building a youth-led movement to end the practice of trying and incarcerating young people as adults. Through its work in the Philadelphia jails, YASP provides space for incarcerated young people to express themselves creatively and to develop as leaders both within and beyond the prison walls. Young people who have been through the adult court system are at the forefront of YASP, leading the movement to keep young people out of adult prisons and to create new possibilities for youth around the city.
The Defender Association is an independent, nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, client-centered legal representation, connection to social services, and re-entry support to adults and juveniles in Philadelphia. Our organization represents nearly 70 percent of adults and juveniles arrested in the City of Philadelphia. Learn more about our work at phillydefenders.org, or on social media @PhillyDefenders.
