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When The Prison Rape Elimination Act Stops Applying To Trans People: Critical Info For Advocates
What Just Happened On December 4, 2025, NPR reportedly obtained an internal DOJ memo instructing inspectors to cease evaluating prisons and jails in the US on adherence to Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards that specifically address the needs of […]
Investing In Community: The Wellness Value of Conferences
Greetings Public Defense Professionals, As we continue to navigate the demands of public defense, it is worth pausing to reflect on the power of connection—and how conferences, both in-person and virtual, can serve as vital touch-points for our collective wellbeing. […]
Welcoming Our New Systems Builders Co-Chairs
Introducing Our New Systems Builders Committee Co-Chairs The NAPD board recently appointed Theresa Edwards and Jonathan Sacks to serve as C0-Chairs of the Systems Builders Committee – a group committed to fortifying public defense systems through mentorship, best practices policy […]
Anthony Benedetti: NAPD’s Newest President
Anthony Benedetti has been part of NAPD since its earliest days. In 2013, when the organization began as the National Association for Public Defense with only 30 members, no funding, no staff, and no structure – just a passionate group […]
Bail Reform Works. Rolling It Back Would Be a Disaster.
By: Scott Levy and Alice Fontier In late August, President Trump issued an executive order purporting to “take steps to end cashless bail to protect Americans.” The order presents a skewed and misleading view of pretrial justice, one that shows […]
Unmarked Graves, Unfinished Justice
By Terri Collins-GreenDirector of Social Work, Maryland Office of Public DefenderBoard Member, National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) In Maryland, the bodies of more than one hundred unidentified Black children were found in unmarked graves. These children—detained nearly 150 years ago at […]
NAPD & PDAP’s Unpacking Microaggressions Training Packs a Big Punch
An Event Review Brittany Gail Thomas (BGT), Esq., DEIJ Coordinator “What is a microaggression?” “How do I avoid committing/causing microaggressions?” “What can leaders of public defense offices to do promote inclusion and reduce microaggressions?” “I mean no disrespect but [. […]
Advocacy Beyond the Verdict- Inside NAPD’s Team Mitigation Institute in NYC
In the challenging world of public defense, there’s a growing emphasis on holistic, team-based mitigation. The idea is simple yet powerful: to move beyond the narrow focus on a client’s guilt or innocence and tell the full, nuanced story of […]
Spotlight on Wellness & Sustainability
Wellness in public defense is a professional requirement, not a luxury. Public defense work has evolved and, in the modern era, demands extraordinary individual commitment to providing holistic defense. However, sustainability requires shifting from individual responsibility to shared organizational responsibility. […]