New York Times: Conflicting Expectations for Bratton’s Second Tour
In the 1990s, a time of vexing homicide rates in cities across the country, William J. Bratton left the New York Police Department and began marketing the crime-fighting techniques he had deployed so successfully here to other municipalities struggling with rampant disorder. At the time, business and civic leaders in Birmingham, Ala., brought him on…
SNAP Cuts Hurt Bronx Families
As a Public Benefits Advisor at The Bronx Defenders, I have seen the devastating effects of the recent cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP benefits – formerly called “food stamps” – help low-income Americans feed their families. When Congress allowed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to sunset on November 1st of…
Safer and Stronger: The Bronx Defenders Policy Recommendations for Community Safety in the Bronx
Safer and Stronger: Policy Recommendations for Community Safety in the Bronx Download the PDF here: The Bronx Defenders – Safer and Stronger 2014 The Bronx Defenders provides holistic and client-centered criminal defense, family defense, immigration defense, civil legal services, social work support, and community advocacy to indigent people of the Bronx. Our staff of over 200 represents 35,000…
Alfred Siegel
We are deeply saddened to hear that we have lost our longtime friend and colleague, Alfred Siegel. Al was one of our greatest allies in the fight for justice. He dedicated his life to creating a fair and humane justice system. The Center for Court Innovation and The Bronx Defenders have partnered extensively, and it would…
Screening: “The House I Live In”
Join us for a FREE screening of the award winning documentary, The House I Live In. Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at 6 PM Abundant Life Church 650 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11238 View the event flyer. Following the screening will be a panel discussion with: Assemblyman Karim Camera, District 43 Soffiyah Elijah, Executive Director, Correctional Association…
Join us for “Dining with Defenders” our annual Thanksgiving Feast!
The Bronx Defenders “Dining with Defenders” Thanksgiving Feast is this Thursday, November 28, 2013 from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm. Join us for turkey, sides and delicious pies! At The Bronx Defenders community reception space: 360 East 161st Street Bronx, NY 10451 Free for clients, families, and guests! RSVP encouraged but not required. Please call Porsha at (718)…
El Diario: El Bronx pide a De Blasio mayor vigilancia a NYPD
Activistas y vecinos de los edificios de vivienda pública Betances Houses buscan difundir una encuesta bilingüe relacionada con prácticas policiales como “Stop & Frisk.” Por: Zaira Cortés/EDLP El Bronx — Alegando detenciones por perfil racial en vecindarios del sur de El Bronx, residentes solicitarán al nuevo alcalde Bill de Blasio mayor vigilancia a las prácticas…
YOU’RE INVITED: Home for the Holidays
Join us on December 6, 2013 from 6-9pm at Sway Lounge for a holiday fundraiser for our clients’ families. Our goal is to raise funds to provide a wonderful holiday experience for our clients, their children and their families. For $20 donation, you can hear about our work, enjoy a few drinks, and make a…
Blueprint for Community Safety in the Bronx (Survey)
We need your help! The Bronx Defenders has created a Blueprint for Public Safety in the Bronx Survey to present to the next Mayor of New York City in January. Provide your input on how together we can make the Bronx safer for everyone. If you have five minutes, we just have a few quick…
The Bronx Defenders participated in The 7th Annual Hunts Point Hustle
This past weekend, The Bronx Defenders participated in The 7th Annual Hunts Point Hustle, a non-competitive 5K run/walk event that started at Hunts Point Riverside Park and finished at Barretto Point Park. Proceeds from the Hustle will support host organization Sustainable South Bronx’s work promoting the development and beautification of the South Bronx Greenway. The…
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…
Legal Outreach at The Bronx Defenders for Summer 2013 Internship
During the week of August 5-8th, 2013, four rising sophomores from Legal Outreach interned with The Bronx Defenders. The interns were: Jazmin Bramble, Merari Denis, Adenique Lisse, and Carlos Salas. Below are some of their thoughts on the week. I had a pretty amazing week at the Bronx Defenders. Going to court, meeting different lawyers,…
YOU’RE INVITED: The Bronx Defenders’ Community Immigration Workshop
How do I apply for citizenship? Can I apply for “deferred action” as a student? Does my criminal record affect my status? What’s going on with immigration reform? Join us for The Bronx Defenders’ Community Immigration Workshop for answers to these questions and more! This event will take place tomorrow, July 18, 2013 at The…
The Bronx Defenders announces its first annual Highbridge Summer Youth Justice Project
The Bronx Defenders has been conducting regular Know Your Rights trainings for youth at the Highbridge Branch of the New York Public Library since December 2012. Working off the success of these trainings, we are proud to announce the development of the Highbridge Summer Youth Justice Project. The Highbridge section of the Bronx has one…
MUNCHED, A Disturbingly Hilarious Play – June 27th, 2013
The Bronx Defenders invites you to a very special community event in celebration of National Reunification Month, honoring families who have been involved in the child welfare system. There will be a stage! A piano! And Patricia R. Floyd from Law & Order. We encourage you to attend and bring friends, family and colleagues. We…
Annual Celebration of Families – June 21, 2013
Annual Celebration of Families is an event to celebrate families who have recently reunified or are about to be reunified. Families enjoy a meal together, play games, celebrate their successes, and go home with a framed family portrait. What we thought would be a little party turned out to be an incredibly powerful moment for…
Gotham Schools: Community members carve out a role in school guards’ training
When Lynn Sanchez, a Bronx parent activist, challenged police and education officials to address persistent school climate problems during a public forum on school safety last year, she did not think they would say yes. And yet just months later, Sanchez was sitting with safety agents during one of their training sessions — which, for…
Huffington Post’s The Blog: South Bronx Continues to Organize Against ‘Stop & Frisk’
Julio Pabon, Candidate for City Council South Bronx, NY This last Thursday, April 18, 2013, I attended a Bronx Town Hall Meeting on Community Safety & NYPD Accountability. The event was held at the Vacamas Glow Classic Center located at 286 East 156th St., located in the heart of the Melrose projects in the South…
New York Times: In South Bronx, Legal Aid and Shoulders to Lean On
A sprawling, sunny room beckons invitingly with black couches and bright accent pillows for relaxing, bookshelves with novels to borrow for an hour or a week, a pair of children’s tables, outlets for recharging cellphones and free coffee. This is the newest hub for justice in the South Bronx: a public defenders’ office that looks…
News 12 Bronx: Criminal justice groups hold first BX town hall
THE BRONX – Several criminal justice groups came together Monday night for their first Bronx town hall meeting at Hostos Community College. Organizers, including the Bronx Defenders and the Justice Committee, claim that police have taken advantage of many people during practices such as stop-and-frisk. They say the meeting aimed to teach local residents about…