The ABA National Task Force on Stand Your Ground Laws Southeast Regional Hearing
In 1992 a Presidential Task Force on Minorities in the Justice system was created in the aftermath of the Rodney King disturbances. Shortly thereafter, a report was issued with recommendations by the Task Force. The Task Force became the Coalition on Racial and Ethnic Justice in 1994. It was designed to implement the recommendations and develop partnerships among community groups, civil rights organizations, businesses, religious organizations, and bar associations for the purpose of eliminating racial and ethnic bias in the justice system. Its primary goal is to serve as a catalyst for eliminating racial and ethnic bias in the justice system with a focus on systemic change.
The ABA Coalition on Racial and Ethnic Justice (COREJ) examines issues stemming from the intersection of race and ethnicity with the legal system. COREJ partners with non-ABA entities in working to address these issues.
Recent initiatives address:
- Election Protection
- Teen Violence
- Perceptions of People of Color and others of the Legal System
- Foreclosures and the Mortgage Crisis in Communities of Color
- Restoring Justice and Equity during Disasters
The ABA National Task Force on Stand Your Ground Laws Southeast Regional Hearing takes place on Thursday, October 17, 2013, 6:00 PM – 8:00 p.m., at HistoryMiami, 101 C West Flagler Street, Miami, FL. The Task Force was convened principally to review, analyze, and assess the utility of the recently enacted state Stand Your Ground laws, as well as the potential impact these laws may have on public safety, individual liberties and the criminal justice system.
Expert witnesses drawn from local and regional community and government stakeholders, law enforcement, prosecutors, public and private criminal defense attorneys, and legal academicians will testify on the impact of Stand Your Ground laws in the Southeast region, where several states that have enacted similar expanded self-defense statutes.