2016 Legislative Session: What to Watch For! (Part 1)
The 2016 legislative session kicked off yesterday with much ceremony and anticipation, with several controversial issues – medical cannabis, defunding Planned Parenthood and equality in the workplace for Utah’s working moms – receiving attention well in advance of the opening day ceremonies.
YES ON SIX: It's not a "problem," it's a CRISIS.
The Sixth Amendment guarantees legal counsel to all people who are facing possible jail time on criminal charges, regardless of whether they can afford an attorney. But there’s no question that for many people in Utah there might as well not be a Sixth Amendment at all.
Surprise: People Care About Police Militarization...Popularity of "Peace Officer" Documentary Proves it.
If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s time for you to check out “Peace Officer.”
Editorial: The conservative case against the death penalty
The Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board makes a compelling case for the abolition of capitol punishment in Utah.
A Comprehensive Prescription for Indigent Defense Reform
"Utah needs aggressive reform at both the state and county levels, undertaken immediately and supported by significant state funding. Any legislative proposal must include concrete directives for counties, as well as funding to accomplish those directives."
Milking the Poor for Fees and Fines Destroys Lives - and Cities
“Ferguson, Missouri” has become short-hand for racial profiling and police militarization. But U.S. Department of Justice investigations into how things got so bad in Ferguson have revealed something seemingly more banal at the root of the problem: tickets.
Utah Must Walk The Talk By Fully Funding Indigent Defense
An Op-Ed published in the Salt Lake Tribune on October 10, 2015, advocates for indigent defense reform at both the state and county levels supported by significant state funding.
How Restorative Justice Models Can Transform School Discipline
With the School-to-Prison Pipeline going strong in the United States, it is important to focus on alternate methods of discipline for struggling youth.
Justice Courts: Surprisingly Light on Actual Justice?
You’ll probably walk through the doors of your local justice court at least once in your life.
Kicking Off the Week of Action Against School Push-Out!
Over the past sixty years, many laws have been put in place to ensure the equal treatment of historically disadvantaged racial minorities in the U.S. That doesn’t mean, however, that we’ve solved the many insidious problems associated with racial discrimination.
Week of Action: Invest in Public Education Not Prison Cultivation
Join us in a week of action to challenge the “school-to-prison pipeline” in Utah.
Peace Officer: A Film About How We Don't Have Peace Officers Anymore
“I witnessed my son-in-law killed by the SWAT team I founded.”- former Davis County Sherriff William “Dub” Lawrence.
How the Failing Public Defense System is Hurting Public Defenders
In a state with such a constitutionally-deficient public defender system, it is tempting to believe that the broken system in Utah, detailed in ACLU’s report “Failing Gideon,” is experiencing something different than other states.
Why Police Might Want to Listen to Community Stories About Police Violence
On September 5, families, friends and supporters of people impacted by law enforcement excessive use of force will gather to share stories at “No More Tears: Stories of Police Violence.”
YES ON SIX: Demand that the Sixth Amendment be realized in Utah!
Tell your state legislator how inadequate legal counsel has failed you or someone you know, who couldn’t afford her or his own private attorney.
We Stand with Planned Parenthood
Without Planned Parenthood, millions of women and families in low-income communities would not have the healthcare they need. TAKE ACTION: Sign this petition to protect women’s reproductive decisions.
Why Would Anyone Plead Guilty, If They Are Innocent?
This blog post was written by Alexandria Sadler (Summer Intern 2015), a recent graduate of the University of Utah who will be attending law school this fall in California.
Building a New Prison Could Reduce Utah's Rampant Use of Barbaric "Restrictive Housing"
In practice, “solitary confinement” isn’t exactly what you see in movies: the dirt-smeared man alone in a dark cell, with a rat for company and a tiny window his only connection to the outside world.
Order signed! Lucy got her birth certificate with both moms listed!
All Utah same sex parents who qualify can be listed on birth certificates.
The Bad News Behind Salt Lake Co's Work to Reduce Pay Gaps Between Prosecutors & Public Defenders
Last week, the Salt Lake County Council discussed ways in which the county can eliminate pay gaps between public defenders and county prosecutors. This is very good news.
