🚨 Leadership News: Fair and Just Prosecution is thrilled to announce civil rights champion and former Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala as our new Executive Director! 🧵
A new DOJ proposed rule would weaken oversight in death penalty cases, eliminate public transparency, and make it easier to carry out wrongful executions.
At a time when systemic failures continue to plague capital punishment, speeding up executions is dangerous and unjust.
Prosecuting a federal agent requires a different set of steps than the public would normally see in other cases the Hennepin County Attorney's Office is prosecuting.
Learn more here:
https://t.co/iLCG1ul5Re
New reporting highlights a growing effort to undermine locally elected prosecutors through state intervention, political retaliation & structural power shifts. Attempts to override the will of voters undermine trust in both democracy & the justice system. https://t.co/pu9E3Tcya5
3/ Prosecutors have a legal and ethical duty to ensure jury selection is fair and free from racial bias. When courts fail to scrutinize discriminatory strikes against Black jurors, it undermines fair trials and weakens public trust in the justice system.
1/ FJP applauds today’s United States Supreme Court decision in Pitchford v. Cain, a case involving allegations that prosecutors improperly excluded Black jurors from the death penalty trial of Terry Pitchford, a Black defendant.
2/ The Court concluded that Mr. Pitchford was denied the opportunity to scrutinize the prosecutor’s actions and reaffirmed the importance of following the constitutional process for evaluating claims of racial discrimination in jury selection.
https://t.co/rn8bpvnEjM
Federal agents cannot be used to intimidate voters or interfere with the constitutional right to vote. Prosecutors across the country are making clear that protecting safe, free, and fair access to the ballot is essential to democracy.
https://t.co/eVzrbVGBnw
As AI reshapes the justice landscape, how do we ensure its use remains grounded in rigorous research?
📅Join CCJ, @cebcp, & @PolicingInst June at 1pm ET on 6/4 for a webinar examining the future of AI through the lens of evidence-based crime policy.
https://t.co/zuad3gf2CN
Arlington & Falls Church residents got an inside look at how prosecutors use diversion programs and data to advance fairness, accountability, and public safety through interactive “data walks” hosted by Commonwealth’s Attorney Dehghani-Tafti.
Learn more: https://t.co/IfVz152mmE
Incarceration has a wide-reaching and long-lasting effect on families.
People with incarcerated immediate family members are less likely to report good physical and mental health and less likely to rate as “thriving” in terms of overall well-being.
3/ The law’s impact also warrants serious public scrutiny. The only district attorneys affected are Black women serving some of Georgia’s largest and most diverse communities, while other offices, including sheriffs, are exempted. Read our full statement: https://t.co/gy1U0DhZXq
1/ FJP strongly opposes Georgia House Bill 369, signed into law this week, which creates a separate set of election rules for prosecutors and local officials in only five Metro Atlanta counties. This law raises serious constitutional concerns.
2/ Georgia’s Constitution limits the use of narrowly tailored classifications to target specific communities. Yet HB 369 ties these election changes to whether a county eliminated its coroner’s office, despite no clear connection between the two.
Want the latest updates on prosecutorial reform, legal developments, research, and conversations shaping the future of justice?
Sign up for Fair and Just Prosecution’s newsletter to stay connected with our work and the leaders driving change nationwide: https://t.co/MXecH3ILkS
A new episode of our podcast "We Don't Have to Choose" is live!
This episode unpacks our office's approach to expungement and how this tool both improves public safety outcomes while giving individuals more options to be successful.
Tune in: https://t.co/mX6ioss2jH
This Mother’s Day, we recognize the women and mothers impacted by the justice system. Women are the fastest-growing incarcerated population in the U.S. — and many are mothers.
A perspective from CCJ member @IamAcop_Jill explores the needs of this group: https://t.co/XB22ct3Iqx
Our latest newsletter is out now. It covers our powerful convening in Montgomery, which connected history to modern prosecution, new legal advocacy, federal updates, and stories highlighting innovative prosecutors from across the country.
Read it here: https://t.co/35eL9rEUjs
Prosecutors have a critical role in advancing policies that reduce harm, increase fairness, and reduce our overreliance on incarceration.
Dig into the data: https://t.co/7lSar1ldp3
New data from the Prison Policy Initiative shows incarceration is rising again, with nearly 2 million people behind bars. Women’s incarceration is growing at a faster rate, and racial disparities persist.