Position Papers & Statements
NAPD has published the following Position Papers & Statements:
Letter to the Biden Administration Urging Expansion of 'Access to Justice' Inititiatives on September 1, 2021
Press Release: NAPD Newly Appointed Executive Director Lori James Townes on May 19, 2021
NAPD Statement on Ongoing Police Violence Against BIPOC on April 21, 2021
NAPD Statement on Asian-American Violence on March 27, 2021
NAPD Letter to the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission on March 25, 2021
NAPD Ten Principles for Creating Sustainability in Public Defense on March 7, 2021
NAPD Recommendations for the Biden Administration Transition Team on November 11, 2020
NAPD Policy Statement on Proper Professional Space, Equipment, Confidential Communications with Clients, Supporting Services for Public Defense on October 15, 2020
NAPD Policy on Active Supervision of the Representation of Clients on October 15, 2020
NAPD Statement in Response to the Shooting of Jacob Blake on August 26, 2020
NAPD Statement on the Issues with the Use of Virtual Court Technology on June 18, 2020
Black Lives Matter: NAPD's Commitment to Transformational Change on June 9 2020
NAPD Statement on Public Defense Staffing on May 28, 2020
NAPD Blog Post Announcing Release of New Staffing Policy (May 28, 2020)
NAPD Statement on Independence of Public Defense Leaders and Programs on May 27, 2020
NAPD Call to Action (Press Release) on Independence Statement on May 27, 2020
An Open Letter to America: Public Defenders Justice Systems' First Responders (May 7, 2020)
Joint Statement in Support of the Use of Pretrial Risk Assessments: Updated on March 2019
NAPD Letter to OSAC Regarding Forensic Science Standards on October 26, 2017
NAPD Position Paper on Qualifications of those Selecting Public Defense Leadership on September 21, 2017
NAPD Public Comment to DOJ re Forensic Science on May 30, 2017
Joint Statement in Support of the Use of Pretrial Risk Assessments on May 10, 2017
NAPD Foundational Principles on March 18, 2017
NAPD Statement on Reducing Demand For Public Defense: Alternatives to Traditional Prosecution Can Reduce Defender Workload, Save Money, and Reduce Recidivism on March 2, 2017
NAPD Statement Regarding President Elect Donald J. Trump's Nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions for United States Attorney General on January 19, 2017
NAPD Statement on Judicial Independence (June 2016)
Policy Statement on the Predatory Collection of Costs, Fines and Fees in America's Criminal Courts (May 2016)
Workloads Policy Statement (March 2016)
NAPD Statement on Michael Brown and Eric Garner (December 2014)