CourtWatch as a Model for something we might do
Description
Introduction to CourtWatch
How the methods of CourtWatch might be adapted for environmental projects.
Researchers to analyze data. Lawyers to summarize, talk with officials and write for publication.
What: Data on
Where
How: Vist 4 courthouses 2019. Collect 5,000 cases. The only race identified data available.
When: 2019
How I was involved
About a year ago I signed up for the Bail Fund. They never called me back. But they did give my name to ACLU's CourtWatch. I went to court about 40 times. I contributed about 10% of the surveys done. The surveys were collected, analyzed and discussed with the DA, Rachael Rollins. Then the pandemic hit. Our work did change how the court treats the accused. Why would an environmental group be interested?
Results of my experience:
- a description of court watch
- my experience
- how this might this something like courtwatch could be used by 350
Description
- Who: Sponsored by ACLU or other community organizations. Some paid organizers and the rest volunteers.
- What: Apply pressure on DA's and elected officials with facts.
- Where: There are many CourtWatch projects world wide. Seems like every state. Many countries: Poland, France. Multiple project around the state.
- Why: Mostly focussed on helping poor people get fair treatment in court, which includes people of color and immigrants.
- How: Volunteers collect data by race. Analysis by researchers. Lawyers present findings to DA and press.
My Experience
- About a year ago I signed up for the Bail Fund. They got my name from my Synagogue, Shirat Hiyam. They never called me back. But they did give my name to ACLU's CourtWatch.
- I helped accused say "Judge I do not understand the charges. I want to talk to my lawyer". You get more time. Might get dismissed. Flawed cases.
- Some judges welcomed me. My presence changed things for the better.
- Security guard from Lynn said everyone knew when I was in the building.
- Turned in about 10% of the cases. 40 times.
- Saw first hand how wealth tips the scales of justice. We are wasting money.
- Rollins, globe, changes in cell phones in Lynn.
How we might adapt this
- Collect data on constituencies, new programs and bills passed
- Analyze, compare, present and publish
Introduction to CourtWatch
How the methods of CourtWatch might be adapted for environmental projects.
Researchers to analyze data. Lawyers to summarize, talk with officials and write for publication.
What: Data on
Where
How: Vist 4 courthouses 2019. Collect 5,000 cases. The only race identified data available.
When: 2019
How I was involved
About a year ago I signed up for the Bail Fund. They never called me back. But they did give my name to ACLU's CourtWatch. I went to court about 40 times. I contributed about 10% of the surveys done. The surveys were collected, analyzed and discussed with the DA, Rachael Rollins. Then the pandemic hit. Our work did change how the court treats the accused. Why would an environmental group be interested?
Results of my experience:
- Help accused. "Judge, I do not understand the charges. I need more time with my lawyer".
- Bear witness. Someone is watching
- Effects entire courthouse. Head of security in Lynn ...
Who
part of ACLU MA
First 100 Days Project in Suffolk County
On January 2, 2019, District Attorneys across Massachusetts began a new term in office. We launched a First 100 Days Court Watch Project in Suffolk County to hold the District Attorney's Office accountable for reducing pre-trial detention and addressing racial disparities. Beginning on inauguration day, trained volunteers were in three (and ultimately four) BMC courts every day monitoring how these campaign promises were being carried out and how the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office was complying with recently passed criminal justice reform.
Recognizing that the transition will take time and transformation doesn’t happen overnight, we sought transparency in documenting the pace of change and engaging community in the transformation process. Our presence in court allowed us to celebrate reform successes, support our neighbors, and maintain a public record on progress. We posted specific case examples on twitter (@CourtWatchMA) and released a weekly digest here on our website with stories and findings from arraignment court.
The First 100 Days Court Watch Project focused on prosecutors’ bail recommendations and charging decisions. Every single hour a person spends in detention is harmful and every time cash bail is imposed it can have disastrous consequences without any positive impact on our community. Our hope was that line prosecutors would not only decline to ask for bail but proactively recommend release on personal recognizance, reducing the pressure to plead guilty and eliminating punitive pre-trial detention.
The First One Hundred Days Court Watch Project officially concluded on April 17, 2019.
First 100 Days Project in Suffolk County
On January 2, 2019, District Attorneys across Massachusetts began a new term in office. We launched a First 100 Days Court Watch Project in Suffolk County to hold the District Attorney's Office accountable for reducing pre-trial detention and addressing racial disparities. Beginning on inauguration day, trained volunteers were in three (and ultimately four) BMC courts every day monitoring how these campaign promises were being carried out and how the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office was complying with recently passed criminal justice reform.
Recognizing that the transition will take time and transformation doesn’t happen overnight, we sought transparency in documenting the pace of change and engaging community in the transformation process. Our presence in court allowed us to celebrate reform successes, support our neighbors, and maintain a public record on progress. We posted specific case examples on twitter (@CourtWatchMA) and released a weekly digest here on our website with stories and findings from arraignment court.
The First 100 Days Court Watch Project focused on prosecutors’ bail recommendations and charging decisions. Every single hour a person spends in detention is harmful and every time cash bail is imposed it can have disastrous consequences without any positive impact on our community. Our hope was that line prosecutors would not only decline to ask for bail but proactively recommend release on personal recognizance, reducing the pressure to plead guilty and eliminating punitive pre-trial detention.
The First One Hundred Days Court Watch Project officially concluded on April 17, 2019.
https://www.courtwatchma.org/stories-from-court
Rhetoric, Not Reform Prosecutors & Pretrial Practices in Suffolk, Middlesex, and Berkshire Counties OCTOBER 2019
Rhetoric, Not Reform Prosecutors & Pretrial Practices in Suffolk, Middlesex, and Berkshire Counties OCTOBER 2019
Other Court Watching Projects:
- Court Watching Report by Chicago Community Bond Fund
- The Chicago Community Bond Fund had a temporary courtwatch program that released a report in 2018 based on 3 months of observations in 2017.
- Broken Promises: A CourtWatchNYC Response to Drug Policing and Prosecution in NYC
- CourtWatchNYC publishes weekly qualitative reflections in a blog format and then periodically publish more in-depth, data-driven reports like this one.
- Access to Justice Inventory for court watching
- Inventory used by Massachusetts Trial Courts to collect accessibility information.
- Blocking the Courthouse Doors: ICE Enforcement at Massachusetts Courthouses and Its Effects on the Judicial Process
- A March 2018 report by Northeastern University School of Law’s Immigrant Justice Clinic (IJC).
- Massachusetts Access to Justice Housing Court Report
- Harvard housing working group report
- Tipping the Scales: A Report of Tenant Experiences in Bronx Housing Court
- A Report by New Settlement Apartments’ Community Action for Safe Apartments (CASA) and the Community Development Project (CDP) at the Urban Justice Center
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