BxD announces the release of its Holistic Defense Symposium report
It has been a very exciting year for the The Bronx Defenders’ Center for Holistic Defense! In May, we hosted the first annual Holistic Defense Symposium, which brought together representatives from 24 different organizations that are working to adopt holistic practices. In the coming weeks, we will begin meeting with our latest group of technical assistance sites. Since 2010,…
New bill passed makes New York City a safer, more just place for immigrants and their families
“Thanks to the City Council’s groundbreaking leadership on this issue, dozens of the Bronx residents we have represented are home with their families, supporting their children, and contributing to their communities” said Robin Steinberg, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders. “The proposed expansion will mean fairness and justice for more immigrant families in the Bronx.”…
Congressman Serrano Announces $350,000 in DOJ Funding for the Bronx Defenders for Holistic Defense
The Bronx Defenders is excited to share the news announced in a press release published by U.S. Congressman José E. Serrano yesterday that the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded renewed funding to The Bronx Defenders Center for Holistic Defense: Sep 29, 2014 | Issues: The Bronx Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Congressman José…
BxD’s Colby Dillon featured this month in Northwestern Law’s “Ask An Alum” column
Bronx Defenders Criminal Defense Attorney Colby Dillon was featured this month in Northwestern University School of Law’s Children and Family Justice Center blog, Youth Matters, in their “Ask an Alum” column, speaking about her experience as a new public defender at The Bronx Defenders. Colby (JD ’13) works as a juvenile attorney at The Bronx Defenders in…
BxD’s Mary Anne Mendenhall on Hot 97 ‘Street Soldiers’ discussing the Adrian Peterson child abuse case
Yesterday, September 21, 2014, Bronx Defenders Family Defense Practice Supervising Attorney Mary Anne Mendenhall joined in a compelling discussion on NFL player Adrian Peterson’s ongoing child abuse case, offering keen insights into the experiences and challenges faced by Bronx Defenders clients in Bronx Family Court. The episode of Hot 97’s “Street Soldiers” with host Lisa Evers brought…
Keston Jones to present at New York State Social Work Education Association 2014 Conference
Keston Jones, Bronx Defenders Parent Advocate, will present at the New York State Social Work Education Association’s Conference on October 9, 2014. His talk is entitled “Focus on Fathers: Myths and Misconceptions about Low Income African American and Minority Fathers.” The presentation flows from Keston’s work with The Bronx Defenders Focus on Fathers project, which was developed to…
Mark Loudon-Brown to lead webinar on “DNA Basics for the Defense” on September 19
On Friday, September 19, 2014 at 2:30 PM Eastern, The Bronx Defenders Criminal Defense Attorney Mark Loudon-Brown will be instructing a National Association for Public Defense webinar entitled “DNA Basics for the Defense – A Primer to Get You Started.” The webinar will focus on the basics of DNA evidence, examining what DNA evidence is,…
The Bronx Defenders releases its report “Voices From the Box: Solitary Confinement at Rikers Island”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2014 Contact: Skylar Albertson, The Bronx Defenders, (347) 842-1215, SkylarA@bronxdefenders.org Voices From the Box: Solitary Confinement at Rikers Island New York – The Bronx Defenders released a report summarizing the experiences of 59 current and former clients who were subjected to extreme isolation in solitary confinement at Rikers Island. The…
The Bronx Defenders Written Comments for the New York City Council Committee on Public Safety
The Bronx Defenders’ Written Comments for the New York City Council Committee on Public Safety Oversight: The Police Department’s Plan to Enhance Officer Trainings September 8, 2014 The Bronx Defenders is a holistic public defender located in the South Bronx. Each year we represent over 30,000 people arrested in Bronx County. Nearly all of our…
The Bronx Defenders Welcomes Its 2014 Training Teams and New Hires!
The Bronx Defenders is proud to announce the start of its 2014 Training Teams as well as many new hires throughout the office. For the first time ever, The Bronx Defenders will welcome two training teams to the office. Throughout the next twelve months, our new attorneys will receive intensive training in holistic defense, working…
An important legislative step to bring transparency to the use of solitary confinement
The Bronx Defenders was at City Hall yesterday where Mayor de Blasio signed into law Intro-292A, which will bring increased transparency to the use of solitary confinement in New York City jails, an important first step toward ending this torturous practice. Under this law the Department of Corrections will be required to publish four reports a…
Solidarity at the August 23rd ‘March for Justice’ on Staten Island
The Bronx Defenders was proud to be a part of the March for Justice on Staten Island last weekend to peacefully call for justice for Eric Garner, Ramarley Graham, and others who have been killed and/or brutalized by NYPD officers with little to no accountability or consequences for the involved police officers. Thousands joined the march through…
Defending families in the Bronx: A collection of portraits celebrating family reunification
Families are the building blocks of every community. They are a primary source of identity and support for individuals in American society. However, in the Bronx – home to some of the poorest, most-under-resourced neighborhoods in the country – parents often struggle to retain the right to make basic decisions about their children, and families end…
The Bronx Defenders statement on killing of Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO
The Bronx Defenders offers its condolences and support to the family of Mike Brown and to the entire Ferguson community. We join its residents in calling for an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation into the tragic and devastating death of this young man. We also salute peaceful protesters who are bravely demanding accountability and drawing…
Bronx Defenders Social Workers Represent Holistic Defense at This Year’s National Organization of Forensic Social Work Conference
Last month, The National Organization of Forensic Social Work (NOFSW) held its annual conference, which took place this year in New York at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus. Several social workers and one attorney from The Bronx Defenders attended the conference, including four staff members who presented. Participation in the conference not only presented an exciting learning and…
The Bronx Defenders releases updated Consequences of Criminal Proceedings in New York State
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 11, 2014 Contact: Molly Kovel, The Bronx Defenders, 718-508-3421 or MollyK@bronxdefenders.org THE CONSEQUENCES OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS IN NEW YORK STATE, A Comprehensively Updated Guide for Criminal Defense Attorneys, Civil Legal Services Attorneys, and Other Reentry Advocates New York – Today, The Bronx Defenders released an expansive update to our landmark manual detailing…
Spotlight on The Bronx Defenders’ new Prostitution Conviction Vacature Project
Every year in New York City, thousands of people who are victims of sex trafficking are arrested, charged, and ultimately convicted of prostitution-related offenses. Due to New York City’s zero-tolerance policing, many of these people are arrested multiple times and face repeated prosecutions. Convictions for prostitution carry an enormous stigma and make it extremely difficult…
The Bronx Defenders responds to US Attorney report on deplorable conditions facing adolescents at Rikers Island
The Bronx Defenders condemns the conditions adolescents at Rikers Island are being held in and the treatment they are subjected to as outlined in the August 4, 2014 report by United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Barara. For too long, the city of New York has neglected adolescents involved in the…
The Bronx Defenders joined partners at City Hall today to demand police accountability
“There is no excuse for an illegal chokehold by the NYPD. We need policing FOR our communities, not against them.” -Donna Lieberman, Executive Director, New York Civil Liberties Union Earlier today, The Bronx Defenders rallied together with community allies at a press conference hosted by Communities United for Police Reform at City Hall to demand accountability for…
Hitting the court at the annual BXD Interns vs. Staff basketball game!
Taking a step back from the daily fight in and outside of the courtroom for our clients and their families, Bronx Defenders staff and summer interns hit the court this week to test their skills on the court at our annual Interns vs. Staff basketball game. Regarding the winner…the jury is still out.
The 2014 Holistic Defense for Public Defender Offices Technical Assistance Project
The Center for Holistic Defense at The Bronx Defenders The 2014 Holistic Defense for Public Defender Offices Technical Assistance Project Request For Proposals The Center for Holistic Defense, a project of The Bronx Defenders, is pleased to announce the release of its fifth annual Technical Assistance Project Request For Proposals seeking applications from public defender…
Watch Robin Steinberg’s Keynote Speech from Yale Law School’s 2014 RebLaw Conference
“We need to intervene more deeply, involve ourselves more broadly, and understand the lives of our clients more fully. We need to fight on behalf of individuals but we need to also mobilize communities to be warriors in the broader struggle of social and racial justice.” Bronx Defenders Executive Director Robin Steinberg gave an inspiring keynote speech…
The New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges
June 26, 2014 The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 RE: Sign S7883/A10139 to Add 25 More Family Court Judges Dear Governor Cuomo: The Bronx Defenders is a proud member of the New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges. We urge you to…
The Bronx Defenders is Issuing a Call for Proposals for Civil Forfeiture Video Project
Request for Proposals Civil Forfeiture Video Project Submission Date: July 2, 2014 Organization Overview The Bronx Defenders is a community-based, multi-service legal organization dedicated to addressing the underlying problems of poverty in the Bronx by providing innovative, holistic, and client-centered criminal defense, family defense, civil legal services, and social services to indigent Bronx residents. Our…
Join us for The Bronx Defenders 2014 Summer Benefit on July 15th!
SAVE THE DATE The Bronx Defenders invites you to the 2014 SUMMER BENEFIT The South Cabana at The Maritime Hotel Tuesday, July 15th | 7:00 pm | 88 Ninth Avenue, New York City (entrance is at the corner of 16th Street & Ninth Avenue) Please join us on this summer evening to enjoy cocktails and…