NACDL News: Policymakers Should Consider Legislation’s Full Impact on System, Say Criminal Defense L

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and the American Council of Chief Defenders (ACCD) Section of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association issued a joint resolution calling on legislators and criminal justice policymakers to prepare “justice system impact statements” for any proposed legislation or policy change that impacts federal, state, or local criminal justice systems. The joint resolution, released on Aug. 20, 2012, proposes that the U.S. Department of Justice, which already distributes substantial funding to local police and prosecutors, fund such studies through its criminal justice grant programs.