Author: BXD
Rise Magazine: To Speak or Not to Speak
Brenda Zubay and Lisa Beneventano, Social Workers in The Bronx Defenders Family Defense Practice, were interviewed in the Fall 2013 issue of Rise Magazine. In the article, they discuss the benefits and dangers of revealing past trauma in court, and explain the importance of parents taking control of their story before the court takes control […]
Join us to watch the reading of a new play: Four Little Girls
Join us this Sunday to watch a reading of a new play: Four Little Girls Streamed LIVE from Washington, DC We invite the Bronx community to join us for a special screening of the play “Four Little Girls” in our reception space on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 5:30 PM. We are going to live-stream the reading […]
Bail or Jail: Watch Justine Olderman discuss the need for bail reform
Richard French speaks with the Chief Judge of New York State, Jonathan Lippman and with Justine Olderman of The Bronx Defenders about the current state of the jail and bail system in New York State. Justine Olderman: “We can say, ideally, it is about the presumption of innocence; it’s about the right to trial; it’s […]
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: How Investing in Grass-Roots Advocacy Helped Put an End to a Racist Practice
Despite news headlines almost daily this summer about New York City’s controversial stop-and-frisk police tactics, most journalists missed a key component in explaining why the worst abuses of this policy, in place for over a decade, have been curtailed. Had it not been for the grassroots activists, and financial support from a few courageous foundations […]
Board Member Abbe Smith’s new book “How Can You Represent Those People?”
How Can You Represent Those People? is the first-ever collection of essays offering a response to the “Cocktail Party Question” asked of every criminal lawyer: how do you represent the accused? The contributors are a diverse group of prominent lawyers and rising stars, each offering a different—and often very personal— perspective on “the Question.” Many […]
Justine Olderman responds to NY Post article on Bronx bail data
In an August 9, 2013 New York Post article headlined “Easiest Walk for Bx ‘High Risk’ Defendants,” the Mayor’s office takes a position that is in contravention of state law, ignores the facts about rates of return, and turns a blind eye to the growing movement for bail reform. After analyzing data showing that judges […]
Huffington Post: 10 Things You Should Know About This Week’s Stop and Frisk Decision
U.S. Disctrict Court Judge Shira Scheindlin handed down two landmark opinions on Monday. In Floyd v. City of New York, a federal class action lawsuit challenging racial profiling by the NYPD, Judge Scheindlin ruled that the NYPD’s stop and frisk program violates the Constitution. A second order laying out remedies covers both Floyd and part […]
The Bronx Defenders Organizing Project will be registering voters today!
Volunteer today with The Bronx Defenders Organizing Project to register voters. The deadline is this Friday to register to be able to vote in the NYC primaries on Sept. 10th. Join us to register as many Bronx residents as possible. If you’re interested and available, please join us! Email Kamaub@bronxdefenders.org or meet us at 3pm at […]
The Bronx Defenders Announced as Semifinalist for Nonprofit Excellence Awards
The Bronx Defenders Announced as Semifinalist for Nonprofit Excellence Awards Two Local Organizations Selected For Outstanding Management Practices NEW YORK (Aug. 13, 2013) – BronxWorks and Bronx Defenders have been chosen as two of the ten semifinalists for the 2013 New York Community Trust-New YorkMagazine Nonprofit Excellence Awards. The semifinalists impressed judges in areas ranging […]
MSNBC: Rethinking the ‘war on drugs’
Monday saw two major legal developments in the so-called “war on drugs.” First, a judge in New York City ruled that the police department’s stop-and-frisk policy violated the Constitution in targeting a disproportionate number of blacks and Hispanics. Then, Attorney General Eric Holder announced the end of mandatory federal prison sentences for low-level, non-violent drug […]