Racial Justice Series

The Racial Justice Series is a yearlong, online training series focusing on the ways race impacts the criminal legal system and people accused of committing crimes. PDAP created this program to present a view of systemic racial issues from both a historical and modern-day context. The goal is for Public Defenders to better understand how and why these issues affect their clients of color both inside and outside the courtroom.

This program consists of sessions scheduled on the first Thursday of each month. Past sessions have focused on topics such as the impacts of generational racism and poverty, the War on Drugs and its relationship to mass incarceration, and ways to bring attention to racial issues in court. Upcoming dates and topics for 2024-2025 programming have also been confirmed below:

• October 1, 2024 (previously October 3): Race and Technology
• November 7, 2024: Immigration Impacts of Racism and Poverty
• December 5, 2024: Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Professionals
• January 2, 2025: Policing III – Police Violence and Police Reaction to Mental Health Issues

Those interested in learning more information and registering for this series can sign up for the PDAP listserv or email Elizabeth@PAPublicDefenders.com.