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Criminal Justice Resources - Criminal Justice Blogs

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 01:00:00 -0700

Ken Strutin's guide includes blogs that provide news and analysis of current developments in criminal justice. The blogs are authored by lawyers, law professors, law librarians, public defenders, criminal justice professionals and observers and commentators on the justice system.

Criminal Justice Resources: Juvenile Law and Family Court Resources

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 18:53:09 -0700

The latest installment of Ken Strutin's Criminal Justice Resources series is a bibliography of juvenile and family law sources from professional and commercial institutions, government agencies and public interest groups.

Features - Criminal Justice Resources: Prisoners' Rights and Resources on the Web

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 17:52:20 -0700

Criminal Justice Resources

Prisoners' Rights and Resources on the Web

By Ken Strutin

Ken Strutin (JD, MLS) is an experienced law librarian, criminal defense attorney, and well-known writer and speaker. He is the author of The Insider's Guide: Criminal Justice Resources on the Internet, and has lectured extensively about the benefits of using the Internet for legal research at national and local CLE training programs. Mr. Strutin also wrote ALI-ABA's Practice Checklist Manual on Representing Criminal Defendants, and co-authored the award winning Legal Research Methodology computer tutorial, published by the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI). He has contributed chapters to several books and written many articles concerning knowledge management, legal research and criminal law. Mr. Strutin has taught courses in Advanced Legal Research and Law Office Management. He is also listed in Who's Who in American Law. Currently, Mr. Strutin is the Director of Legal Information Services at the New York State Defenders Association and writes a column for the New York Law Journal.

Published August 15, 2006

Introduction

This guide highlights resources about prisons, the people who occupy them, legal and social services for inmates and their families, issues related to incarceration and reentry, and human rights behind bars. The focus is on selected web resources and online publications.

Commissions	Legal Services	Physical Health	Statistics
Conditions of Confinement	Library Services	Policy Research	Support Services
Education	Mental Health	Prisoners' Rights	Voting Rights
Guides and Manuals	News and Periodicals	Prisons	Women
Inmate and Prison Locators	Organizations	Reentry	Bibliographies and Research Guides
Law School Clinics	Parole	Standards

Commissions

National commissions have been created to investigate conditions and facilitate legislation aimed at reforming the prison system. And many states and local governments have established agencies to oversee their correctional facilities, and issue reports about their operations. More information on the national level can be found under Conditions of Confinement.

National Commissions

Selected State Commissions

South Dakota Corrections Commission

Conditions of Confinement

The Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons conducted a national examination of the violence, sexual abuse, degradation, and other abuses occurring in prisons and jails across the country. Four public hearings were held over the course of a year. In 2006, they issued their final report, Confronting Confinement, with recommendations for improving and reforming the prison system, which included standardized reporting of violence and abuse, reinvestment in violence prevention programs, and expanding Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement to cover correctional facilities. The Commission was staffed and funded by the Vera Institute of Justice.

In addition to the work of the Commission, the following organizations have been monitoring and studying prison conditions in the United States, and around the world:

Human Rights Watch: Prisons
Human Rights Watch: United States Prisons

The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA), 42 USC § 15601, et seq., gave rise to the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission. The Commission website makes accessible testimony taken at ongoing hearings along with updates about their work. The following sites provide resources on PREA and its implementation:

National Institute of Corrections

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Related Resources

Education

Prison societies and academic institutions devote resources to prison education through distribution of books and supporting course materials.

Correctional Education Association (CEA)
National Institute for Correctional Education (NICE)

Prisoners' Reading Encouragement Project (PREP)

Guides and Manuals

Here are several excellent publications that provide information on legal research, inmate rights, pro se litigation, and resources for prisoners and ex-offenders.

Arrested? What Happens to Your Benefits If You Go to Jail or Prison? (Bazelon Center)
Jailhouse Lawyer's Handbook and Women's Appendix (Center for Constitutional Rights & National Lawyers Guild)
Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual (Columbia Human Rights Law Review)
Protecting Your Health and Safety: Prisoner's Rights (Southern Poverty Law Center)

Inmate and Prison Locators

The federal government posts a list of its facilities, and a locator to find particular inmates. Most states offer similar resources for their prisons and some jails. In addition to these directories, an individual state or county's facilities can be found by searching the local government's website or one of the national lists below for the appropriate department of corrections.

Federal Prison Facilities (Federal Bureau of Prisons)
Inmate Locator (Federal Bureau of Prisons)
Inmate Locators (Corrections.com)
National Prison Directory (PrisonerLife.com)

Law School Clinics

Many law schools have created clinics to provide representation for incarcerated persons who need assistance in post-conviction matters and prison-related cases.

Law School Clinics Serving Prisoners (AALL 2004)
Prisoner Law (University of Buffalo)

Legal Services

These are directories and sites that provide information about legal services for prisoners and information on self-representation.

Human Rights in Prisons and Jails (Southern Center for Human Rights)
Prison Dharma Network Resource Guides Legal Aid Services
Prisoners' Legal Resource Addresses (Death Row Speaks)
Prisoners' Rights (Pro Bono Net)
Prisoners' Rights Project (The Legal Aid Society)

Library Services

The resources from national library organizations and others provide information on the issues related to serving this special population.

Directory of State Prison Librarians (Maryland Correctional Education Libraries)
Law Libraries Serving Prisoners (AALL)
Library Service to Prisoners Forum (ALA)
Prison Librarianship Clearinghouse
Services to Incarcerated People and Ex-Offenders (ALA)

Mental Health

The appropriate treatment of inmates with mental health issues has been the subject of much study and debate. This is a small selection of recently published materials and resources.

Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project (Council of State Governments 2002)
How to Help--When a Person With Mental Illness Is Arrested (NAMI 2004)
Ill-Equipped: US Prisons and Offenders With Mental Illness (HRW 2003)
Mental Health and Treatment of Inmates and Probationers (US Dept of Justice 1999)
Mental Health in the House of Corrections (Correctional Association of New York 2004)

News and Periodicals

Stories about prison conditions and developments in the law affecting prisoners' rights can be found in these specialized sources. Notably, there are some standout publications, such as the monthly magazine Prison Legal News, which provides excellent comprehensive coverage and analysis of prison issues. Their website includes a rich collection of resources and an extensive list of research links.

News

BOPWatch Listserv
Corrections Community Blog (National Institute of Corrections)
Corrections News & Features (Officer.com)
Corrections Today (American Correctional Association
Jail and Prisoner Law Bulletin (AELE Law Enforcement Legal Center
Prison Legal News
Prisons (Yahoo News) (NCSC)

Law Reviews

Annual Review of Criminal Procedure [Prisoners' Rights] (Georgetown University Law Center)
Columbia Human Rights Law Review (Columbia University School of Law)
New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement (New England School of Law)

Periodicals

Correct Care (National Commission on Correctional Health Care)
Journal of Correctional Health Care (National Commission on Correctional Health Care)
Journal of Prisoners on Prisons
Prison Journal (Pennsylvania Prison Society)

<Table of Contents>

Organizations

There is a broad spectrum of private, academic and governmental organizations concerned with the state of US prisons and the operation of the prison system. Many of them publish reports and studies on issues vital to prisoners' rights and prison reform.

Parole

Here are some general sites concerning parole administration, more information can be found in the Reentry section.

American Probation and Parole Association
Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision
Parole Violations Revisited (National Institute of Corrections 2004)

Physical Health

Health issues for people behind bars are a serious concern and have an impact on society at large. Here are a few national resources on this topic.

Policy Research

Many private, academic and governmental groups engage in research on prison and sentencing reform. They often conduct original research on the conditions of confinement or develop strategies to respond to current problems, such as overcrowding.

Federal Prison Policy Project
Impact of Sentencing Reforms on Prison Populations (Vera Institute of Justice)
Prison Expansion & Sentencing Reform (Open Society Institute)
Prison Policy Initiative
Sentencing and Corrections Program (Vera Institute of Justice)
State Sentencing and Corrections Programs (Vera Institute of Justice)
Treatment or Incarceration (Justice Policy Institute 2004)

Prisoner's Rights

Much of the literature and resources on prisoners' rights have already been noted under other categories.

Prison Litigation Reform Act (The Legal Aid Society, Prisoners' Rights Project 2004)
Prisoner's Rights ((Wex Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School)
Prisoners' Rights Fact Sheets (ACLU National Prison Project)

Prisons

These sources concentrate on the unique concerns of prisons and correctional facilities related to placement, administration, and economics.

Classification of High Risk Prisoners (National Institute of Corrections 2004)
Costs of Incarceration and Supervision (Third Branch 2004)
Meaning of Life: Long Prison Sentences in Context (Sentencing Project 2004)
New Landscape of Imprisonment (Urban Institute 2004)
Objective Prison Classification System (National Institute of Justice 2004)
State Prison Expenditures 2001 (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2004)

Reentry

More than 600,000 former ex-offenders are in the process of reentering society. And governmental and private entities are beginning to provide much needed services to ease the transition and promote reintegration.

Advocacy Toolkits to Combat Legal Barriers Facing Individuals With Criminal Records (Legal Action Center)
After Prison Initiative (Open Society Institute)

Collateral Consequences of Criminal Charges (NY)
Family Justice
Legal Action Center
Life After Exoneration Program
Prisoner Reentry (National Criminal Justice Reference Service)
Prisoner Reentry (National District Attorneys Association)
Prisoner Reentry (National Governors Association)
Prisoner Reentry Institute (John Jay College of Criminal Justice)
Project Greenlight (Vera Institute of Justice)
Reentry Net
Reentry Policy Council
Reentry Resource Map (National Criminal Justice Reference Service
Reentry Trends in the United States (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2002)
Relief From the Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction: A State-by-State Resource Guide (Sentencing Project)
Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (US Dept of Justice)

Standards

National and state standards exist for the administration and operation of prison and jail facilities.

National Standards

Jail Standards and Inspections (National Institute of Corrections)
Standards & Accreditation (American Correctional Association)

Selected State Standards

Statistics

Criminal justice agencies, academic and some private organizations collect statistical information on prison populations, services and special issues.

Corrections Statistics (US Bureau of Justice Statistics)
Juveniles in Corrections (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)
State Corrections Statistics (National Institute of Corrections)

Support Services

Many organizations exist that provide a variety of basic services to inmates and their families.

Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents
Family and Corrections Network
Nation Prisoner Resource List (Prison Book Program)
Prison Help Services
Prison Resource Directory (Prisonet)
Prisoner Support Directory (Prison Activist Resource Center)
Prisoner Support Directory (Western Prison Project)
Serving Families of Adult Offenders: Directory of Programs (National Institute of Corrections 2002)

Voting Rights

The right to vote for persons behind bars has become the focus of studies, policy discussions and litigation nationwide.

Barred for Life: Voting Rights Restoration in Permanent Disenfranchisement States (Sentencing Project 2005)
Felon Disenfranchisement (Prison Policy Initiative)
Felon Disenfranchisement (NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund)
Felon Voting (Dr. Christopher Uggen, University of Minnesota)
Legislative Changes on Felony Disenfranchisement 1996-2003 (Sentencing Project 2003)
Purged! How a Patchwork of Flawed and Inconsistent Voting Systems Could Deprive Millions of Americans of the Right to Vote (ACLU 2004)

Women

Several organizations have devoted significant resources to the special issues facing women behind bars.

Resource List for Women in Prison (Chicago Books to Women in Prison)
Women in Prison (ACLU National Prison Project)
Women's Prison Association

Bibliographies and Research Guides

Here are some extensive bibliographies, pathfinders, and collections of resources on prison related topics.

Jail & Prisoner Law Resources (AELE Law Enforcement Legal Center)
Prison & Corrections-Related Mega-Links (Dr. Thomas O'Connor, Austin Peay State University)
Prisoner Rights & Resources (Findlaw)
Resources for Legal Research: Prisoners' Rights (Pace Law School)

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Features - Public Defense Systems

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 09:59:53 -0700

Criminal Justice Resources

Public Defense Systems

By Ken Strutin

Published June 18, 2006

Introduction

This is a select collection of resources about public defense systems in the United States. The focus is on key studies, reports, and reference materials published on the web..

Public Defense Directories	Reports
Resource Centers	Standards
Criminal Defense Lawyer Associations	Eligibility
Commissions	Resources

Public Defense Directories

Nationwide

Pine Tree Legal Services
Their website offers links to civil legal services, legal aid, pro bono, backup centers, pro se site, and law school programs throughout the country, and some from around the world. Pine Tree is a statewide legal services program for the citizens of Maine.

Federal

Federal Public Defender Directory (ODSTB)
This is a national directory of federal public defender offices maintained by the Office of Defender Services Training Branch.

State

Public Defenders (Findlaw)
This is a collection of links to federal and state public defender offices, and national resource centers organized by state.
Legal Services/Pro Bono/Indigent Defense (NCSC)
The National Center for State Courts has gathered together web links to state and federal indigent defense, capital defense and legal services offices nationwide.
Directory of Legal Aid & Defender Offices in the United States and Territories (NLADA) (order form)
The National Legal Aid & Defender Association annually publishes, print only, a national directory of public defender and civil legal services offices.

<Table of Contents>

Resource Centers

In many states, public defenders, legal aid and assigned counsel rely on the support services provided by backup centers. These offices respond to the research and training needs of public defense attorneys, monitor case law and legislative developments, answer questions from the client community and members of the public, and serve as a clearinghouse for public defense advocacy and policy research.

Nationwide

States

Criminal Defense Lawyers Associations

There are many statewide and local criminal defense associations, as well as sections of general bar associations, that have dedicated resources to public defense work. The lists below provide web links to many of these groups.

Commissions

Public defense systems vary from place to place. Some have established statewide systems and operate under commissions, while others are patchwork arrangements. And a few states are reevaluating their defender systems. Information about commissions and related developments can be found in the Spangenberg studies below. Underneath is a selection of state websites.

Nationwide

Statewide Indigent Defense Systems Overview (Spangenberg 2005)
Indigent Defense Systems of the 50 States (ABA 2004)

States	Links
Arkansas	Public Defender Commission
California	California Habeas Corpus Resource Center
Colorado	State Public Defender Commission Alternate Defense Counsel Commission
Connecticut	Public Defender Services Commission
District of Columbia	Public Defender Service
Florida	Florida Public Defender Association
Georgia	Georgia Public Defender Standards Council
Hawaii	Defender Council
Illinois	Office of State Appellate Defender
Indiana	Public Defender Commission
Iowa	Indigent Defense Advisory Commission
Kansas	State Board of Indigents' Defense Services
Kentucky	Department of Public Advocacy
Louisiana	Louisiana Indigent Defense Assistance Board Louisiana Task Force on Indigent Defense
Maryland	Public Defender
Massachusetts	Committee for Public Counsel Services
Michigan	Appellate Defender Commission
Minnesota	Minnesota Public Defenders
Missouri	Public Defender Commission
Montana	Public Defender Commission
Nebraska	Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy
New Hampshire	Judicial Council New Hampshire Public Defender
New York	New York State Commission on the Future of Indigent Defense Services Capital Defender Office
North Carolina	Public Defender Commission
North Dakota	North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents
Ohio	Hamilton County Public Defender Commission Public Defender Commission
Oklahoma	Oklahoma Indigent Defense System
Oregon	Public Defense Services Commission
North Carolina	Public Defender Commission
South Carolina	Indigent Defense Commission
Texas	Texas Task Force on Indigent Defens
Virginia	Indigent Defense Commission Virginia Indigent Defense Commission
Washington	Office of Public Defense
Wisconsin	State Public Defender

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Reports

The major bar associations, private research groups and government agencies have published reports on different aspects of public defense. They include systemwide surveys, funding studies, caseload analyses and highlights of significant problems and unmet mandates.

Compilations

Nationwide Studies

Contracting for Indigent Defense Services (BJA 2000)
Defense Counsel in Criminal Cases (BJS 2000)
Gideon's Broken Promise: America's Continuing Quest for Equal Justice (ABA 2004)
Improving State and Local Criminal Justice Systems (BJA 1998)
Indigent Defense (BJS 1996)
Indigent Defense Services in Large Counties 1999 (BJS 2000)
Keeping Defender Workloads Manageable (BJA 2001).
Redefining Leadership for Equal Justice: Final Report of the National Symposium on Indigent Defense 2000 (BJA 2000)
State-Funded Indigent Defense Services 1999 (BJS 2001)

Gideon 40th Anniversary Sites

States

Chp. 10 "Model Court Interpreter Act " in Court Interpretation: Model Guides for Policy and Practice in the State Courts (National Center for State Courts 1995)
Court Interpreters Act, 28 USC § 1827

States

Alabama: Alabama v. Shelton: The Right to Counsel in Misdemeanor Cases Resulting in Suspended or Probated Sentence (NCSC 2003)
Arizona: Indigent Defense in Arizona (NACDL 2001)
Georgia: Report of the Chief Justice's Blue Ribbon Commission on Indigent Defense (2002)
Nevada: Indigent Defense Services in the State of Nevada (Spangenberg Group 2000)
New York: Crisis in Legal Representation of the Poor (1st Dept 2001)
Tennessee: Tennessee Weighted Caseload Study Update: District Public Defenders (2005)
Texas: Muting Gideon's Trumpet: The Crisis in Indigent Criminal Defense in Texas (State Bar of Texas 2000)
Vermont: Vermont Indigent Defense Task Force Report (2001)
Virginia: Comprehensive Review of Indigent Defense in Virginia (ABA 2003)
Washington: Report of the Washington State Bar Association Blue Ribbon Panel on Criminal Defense (2004)

Standards

These are compilations of national and state standards for the criminal justice system, and public defense in particular.

Compilations

Resources

ABA Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System
Ten Tenets of Fair and Effective Problem Solving Courts (NLADA 2001)
Executive Session on Public Defense (Harvard)
Implementation and Impact of Indigent Defense Standards (NIJ 2003)
Spangenberg Group Publications List

Eligibility

The ability to afford counsel depends on many factors, and the assessment of those factors determines whether an accused will receive assigned representation. Below are several guidelines, albeit starting points, used in making this determination.

Guidelines

Income Eligibility Guidelines (LSC)
Federal Poverty Guidelines (HHS)

Reports

Determining Indigency (NCSC)
Determining Eligibility for Appointed Counsel in New York State (NYSDA 1994)

Resources

These resources are excellent starting points for locating national and local materials on public defense systems and the implementation of the right to counsel. The Resource Centers listed above are another good place to find information about a particular state's system.

Organizations

Bibliographies and Libraries

Indigent Defense (NACDL)
Indigent Defense (OJP)
Indigent Defense Resource Guide (NCSC)
National Committee on the Right to Counsel (NLADA)
National Criminal Justice Research Service (NCJRS)
National Equal Justice Library

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Features - Wrongful Conviction and Innocence Resources on the Internet

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 01:41:05 -0700

Wrongful Conviction and Innocence Resources on the Internet

By Ken Strutin

Interpretation and Translation Resources for the Criminal Justice System

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 01:27:43 -0700

Ken Strutin's series of articles on Criminal Justice Resources continues with this extensive bibliography that includes: Foreign Language Publications & Websites; Directories and Services; Deaf and Hard of Hearing Resources; Ethics and Standards; Federal and State Court Interpreter Programs and Reference Sources.

Features - Criminal Justice Ethics Sources on the Internet

Sat, 15 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Criminal Justice Ethics Sources on the Internet

By Ken Strutin

Criminal Law Resources: False Confessions

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 14:00:00 -0700

Ken Strutin's article surveys selected web-based resources and publications that shed light on the psychology and interrogation practices behind false confessions, as well as highlighting notable educational and bibliographic materials.

Criminal Justice Resources: Sex Offender Laws

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 23:00:00 -0700

Ken Strutin's guide, which highlights key publications and resources, focuses on recent developments in the administration and implementation of federal laws. In addition, selected research on sex offenses, risk assessment, treatment and punishment are noted, along with a section on the new Adam Walsh Act.

Criminal Justice Resources - Clemency Law

Tue, 29 May 2007 14:04:34 -0700

Ken Strutin's article surveys select online resources for seeking clemency as well as guides and research materials on the administration of this important form of relief.

Criminal Justice Resources: Criminal Justice Library Internships

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 18:27:11 -0700

As Ken Strutin states, a library internship is one of the first opportunities for students to experience professional life and learn practical lessons in librarianship. His collection of resources will be useful to library students and aid their host libraries in answering questions, assembling training materials, and offering guidance in professional development.

Criminal Law Resources: Fingerprint Evidence Challenges

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0700

Ken Strutin's article includes selected resources published on the web concerning the reliability and admissibility of fingerprint evidence. Links to guides, standards and related materials are listed to provide some background on the processes and application of this identification technique.

Criminal Law Resources: Criminal Defense Investigation

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:47:46 -0700

Ken Strutin's comprehensive, detailed guide highlights selected online resources describing defense investigation standards and practices, training and certification options, as well as useful guides and educational materials.

Guide to Short Form Open Access Legal Publications

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:00:00 -0700

According to Ken Strutin, short form open access legal publications provide a forum for a wide range of scholarly and timely exchanges on new developments and issues. They embrace the best of print and online traditions by adhering to the publishing standards of law reviews while taking advantage of the public square of the Internet