Supporting Community Involvement in the Justice System
Pottstown Family Justice Hub
By Marian Dennis,
The Mercury
Posted: 11/04/16, 9:17 AM EDT
In 2015, we became the first public defender office in the United States to sponsor Participatory Defense, a revolutionary new model that policy advocates can effectively use to reform systemic issues in the justice system. We partnered with Raj Jayadev and the Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project in San Jose, California, a community organizer who developed the Participatory Defense Model. Montgomery County is among the very first communities in the nation to introduce this community-based, collective action tool. Participatory Defense demands fairness in the justice system, effectiveness of public defenders and accountability from prosecutors, judges, police, and prisons. Through this model, people facing charges, their families, and their communities, are empowered and provided tools to impact the outcome of cases and transform the landscape of power in the courtroom. Every week, Norristown CADCOM provides space and resources for a Family Justice Hub, following the Participatory Defense Model, and attended by one or more public defenders.
Please
click here to view a flyer with additional information about the Participatory Defense Family Justice Hub in Norristown.