The Supreme Court has issued two major decisions that will fundamentally alter how criminal defense lawyers approach serious juvenile cases prosecuted in adult criminal courts. In Graham, the Supreme Court barred mandatory life without parole sentences for juvenile offenders in non-homicide cases. This past term, in Miller, the Court extended the bar on mandatory life without parole sentences to juveniles in homicide cases. These decisions will not only entitle some defendants to re-sentencing, but will also reshape how lawyers approach cases involving juvenile offenders. The Supreme Court has made it clear that based upon all available scientific evidence, juveniles are developmentally different from adults and should be treated differently for that reason.
To provide support and assistance for those attorneys handling juvenile re-sentencings, or representing a juvenile in new cases, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), of which NYSACDL is an affiliate, is collaborating with a number of groups to provide a series of free training programs. The programs are free, and membership is not required. In order to access the live broadcast, and participate in the discussion, registration is required.
The first two programs, which were webcast live last week, are now available for download :
Lessons Learned from Graham v. Florida: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/25400255
Re-Sentencing Juveniles Post Miller: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/25402189
The next three programs will be held on September 25 and 26th. They are free, and they may be viewed anywhere via computer. And they are interactive – online questions may be submitted during the live webcast.
Sept. 25
4:00 – 5:30 pm ET Communicating with a Juvenile Client: JTIP Lesson on Interviewing and Counseling Youth
Sept. 26
11:00 – 12:30 pm ET Incorporating Adolescent Brain & Behavioral Development Science into All Stages of the Criminal Proceeding
1:00 – 2:30 pm ET Strategies for Keeping Youth Out of Adult Jails and Prisons: Bail, Sentencing and Post-Sentencing Advocacy
For PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS and REGISTRATION go to www.nacdl.org/agematterswebinar