Two Public Defense Creative Advocacy Grants Made by The NAPD Fund for Justice, Inc.
(February 8, 2021) The NAPD Fund for Justice has awarded Public Defense Creative Advocacy grants to the Department of Indigent Defense Services, and the Cook County, Illinois Public Defender Office to enhance the representation of public defense clients.
The awards are made in the spirit of the Public Defense Hall of Fame members, Jeff Adachi and Norman Lefstein, each of whom provided client-centered creative advocacy that had significant benefit to public defense systems.
Nevada Indigent Defense Services- Mentoring Program for Rural Contract Defenders
The NAPD Fund for Justice awarded a grant to the Nevada Department of Indigent Defense Services for the creation of an Indigent Defense Attorney Mentoring Program in Nevada which connects rural public defense attorneys with urban public defense attorneys. This initiative provides mentorship, training and professional development opportunities for rural public defense attorneys with a statewide support system.
“The creation of a mentor program is a game changer for indigent defense in Nevada,” said Marcie Ryba, Nevada Indigent Services Director. “Rather than indigent defense attorneys being separated by offices or jurisdictional boundaries, indigent defense attorneys all come together as one for the benefit of our clients.”
Cook County, IL Public Defender Office- Educating the public on the right to have an attorney present while in police custody
The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender was awarded a grant to launch its new, innovative “ONE CALL” education campaign to raise the public’s awareness of the legal services available through the Office’s Police Station Representation Unit, which provides free legal representation to anyone held in police custody in Cook County, Illinois.
The “ONE CALL” education campaign increases the public’s awareness of the legal services provided by the Office by using various educational marketing materials in a strategic manner including social media communications to ensure that the communities who are most impacted by the criminal court system can quickly and easily access PSRU services.
“This strategic approach will help the Office reach its ultimate goal of ensuring that every arrestee in Cook County knows that he or she has the right to have an attorney present while in police custody and that a free attorney is just ‘ONE CALL’ away,” said Cook County IL Public Defender Amy Campanelli. “This campaign will help people understand that although communicating with family and friends while in police custody is important, there is only ‘ONE CALL’ that will result in an attorney coming to the station to assert the arrestee’s rights.”
The Spirit of the Grants: Jeff Adachi and Norman Lefstein
The NAPD Fund for Justice Public Defense Creative Advocacy Grant was created in April 2019 to provide support and encouragement to public defense programs in the spirit of its Public Defense Hall of Fame members, Jeff Adachi and Norman Lefstein. The NAPD Fund for Justice, Inc. Board of Directors reviews the applications and makes the awards yearly.
Induction into The NAPD Fund for Justice Public Defense Hall of Fame recognizes a lifetime of creative leadership that advanced the right to counsel in a systematic way. It honors leaders whose life, amidst struggles and setbacks, is a resilient, hopeful marathon of fierce and creative advocacy. Induction into the Public Defense Hall of Fame is decided by The NAPD Fund for Justice Board of Directors.
These public defense Hall of Fame leaders are honored at: Public Defense Hall of Fame – NAPD Fund for Justice
Helping more through your donations
The NAPD Fund for Justice Board of Directors wants to help more public defense attorneys and staff across the nation. Your donation can help expand the awarding of scholarships and grants.
The Board of Directors, By-Laws, Annual Reports and information about The Fund and how to make electronic donations are on The Fund’s web page at: NAPD Fund for Justice – a nonprofit enhancing the right to counsel and public defense in the United States