The Nebraska Minority Justice Task Force Nebraska Supreme Court Nebraska State Bar Association Public Policy Center

Areas of Research Access to Justice -Jury Pool Analysis-Public Perceptions -Interpreter Services-Juror Perceptions Court Workforce -Minority Employment by the Courts -Equal Employment Opportunity Policies -Employee Perceptions

Areas of Research Legal Profession -Law School Admission and Retention -Professional Opportunities -Judicial Nominations and Selection Criminal and Juvenile Justice -Arrest and Incarceration Rates -Differential Sentencing of Bonds -Access to Diversion Programs -Indigent Defense

Research Design Quantitative: Quantitative: Surveys of judges, attorneys, jurors, court personnel and the public Surveys of judges, attorneys, jurors, court personnel and the public Data on arrests, sentencing and incarceration Data on arrests, sentencing and incarceration Demographic data on the court workforce, law schools, legal profession and judiciary. Demographic data on the court workforce, law schools, legal profession and judiciary. Qualitative: Qualitative: Public hearings, soliciting testimony from minority communities regarding their experiences and perceptions of the justice system. Public hearings, soliciting testimony from minority communities regarding their experiences and perceptions of the justice system. Written testimony from prison inmates Written testimony from prison inmates Focus groups with minority attorneys and minority law students. Focus groups with minority attorneys and minority law students.

Public Hearing in 2001 Malone Center, Lincoln NE

General Findings Language Barriers Language Barriers Arrests, sentencing, and incarceration disparities Arrests, sentencing, and incarceration disparities Jury Pool diversity Jury Pool diversity Diversity of the Court workforce Diversity of the Court workforce Diversity of the legal profession Diversity of the legal profession

Now that we know… what are we going to do about it?

Nebraska Minority Justice Implementation Committee

1. Address racial disparities in both the juvenile and adult justice systems 2. Ensure equal access to the justice system. 3. Increase the diversity of Nebraska ‘s judicial workforce and legal profession.

Policy and Social Change Policy and Social Change 1. Legislative Reform 2. Supreme Court Rule Changes 3. Internal Policy Reform 4. Education and Creating Opportunities for Change

Legislative Reform Issue: No statutory requirement for counties to periodically update their jury pool lists. There were counties in Nebraska who had not updated their jury pool lists from 5-20 years. Issue: No statutory requirement for counties to periodically update their jury pool lists. There were counties in Nebraska who had not updated their jury pool lists from 5-20 years Legislation to help ensure that juries are representative of their communities Legislation to help ensure that juries are representative of their communities.

Supreme Court Rule Changes Language Interpretation and Translation Issues: -Quality -Children as Interpreters -Batters as Interpreters for Victims -Access to Bail Bond

Internal Policy Reform Pre Law Institute at the University of Nebraska College of Law. Pre Law Institute at the University of Nebraska College of Law. A summer program for students from diverse backgrounds to prepare students for law school and the application process, expose them to the practice of law, and establish mentoring relationships. A summer program for students from diverse backgrounds to prepare students for law school and the application process, expose them to the practice of law, and establish mentoring relationships. Diversity of the Nebraska Court System Diversity of the Nebraska Court System -adopted a pay differential for bilingual employees -expanded recruitment efforts to attract a more diverse applicant pool -revised discrimination complaint procedure

Social Change: Self Education Creating a legal culture that is cognizant of the unique issues faced by racial and ethnic minorities, while uncovering the systems of inequality within the profession. Creating a legal culture that is cognizant of the unique issues faced by racial and ethnic minorities, while uncovering the systems of inequality within the profession. Seminars for minority attorneys on how to apply for judicial vacancies Seminars for minority attorneys on how to apply for judicial vacancies Educating attorneys and judges on how to effectively use language interpreters in the courts. Educating attorneys and judges on how to effectively use language interpreters in the courts. Educating attorneys on the unique legal issues faced by Native Americans in Nebraska. Educating attorneys on the unique legal issues faced by Native Americans in Nebraska.

Public Education “Law Day” events at local minority community centers featuring: “Law Day” events at local minority community centers featuring: Free legal clinics, information on jury service, opportunities to register to vote, information on careers in the court system and on applying to law school Free legal clinics, information on jury service, opportunities to register to vote, information on careers in the court system and on applying to law school

Public Education Year of the Juror Project: develop and implement a campaign to educate minority communities about jury service. Year of the Juror Project: develop and implement a campaign to educate minority communities about jury service. Lexington High School students listen to presentations by local judges

Creating Opportunities for Change Annual Legal Diversity Summit provides education, interviews and networking for Nebraska legal employers and regional law students of color. Annual Legal Diversity Summit provides education, interviews and networking for Nebraska legal employers and regional law students of color Legal Diversity Summit

Current Agenda Failure to Appear Policy Failure to Appear Policy Uniform Definition of Race Uniform Definition of Race Disparities in Probation Sentences Disparities in Probation Sentences Representative Juries Representative Juries Uniform Protection Order (state and tribal courts) Uniform Protection Order (state and tribal courts) Diversity Summit Diversity Summit LSAT Prep Scholarship LSAT Prep Scholarship