MacArthur Justice Center

The Civil Rights Act was signed into law 60 years ago today. This monumental legislation laid the groundwork for accountability and equality under the law for all people. Today, we're commemorating this watershed moment for the Civil Rights movement. The MacArthur Justice Center relies on the Civil Rights Act to advocate for our clients unjustly harmed by the criminal legal system and fight for a system free of discrimination. We know there is still work to do to ensure that everyone, regardless of race and identity, is treated with dignity and respect under the law. We'll keep fighting every day to achieve these ends.

One of the central founding principles of our Nation is that no one is above the law––including the President of the United States. The MacArthur Justice Center believes this too, which is why we fight to hold people with power in the criminal legal system accountable for their actions. Read our full statement on the latest Supreme Court decisions here: https://lnkd.in/ek2_wsPD

In a concerning and erroneous ruling, the Supreme Court held in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson that the Eighth Amendment allows a city to criminally punish people for sleeping in public spaces when no alternative shelter is available. While this is a disappointing decision, Justice Sotomayor explains that there are still other legal tools available to challenge these laws. The MacArthur Justice Center stands in solidarity with those fighting to ensure everyone has a safe place to live. Read our full statement on the latest Supreme Court decisions here: https://lnkd.in/ek2_wsPD

In the closing weeks of the Supreme Court term, Justice Jackson voted against criminal defendants in Diaz v. U.S. and Erlinger v. U.S., which many call "unexpected" based on her background as a public defender—however, Devi Rao, D.C. Director of the MacArthur Justice Center reminds us that Jackson is bringing her entire background and career experiences to bear on how she thinks about a particular case, including her time as a federal judge and member of the Sentencing Commission. "It makes sense that given all these experiences, she's attentive to administrability and how these rules play out on the ground. Her writings in Diaz and Erlinger both bear that out." — Devi Rao, MJC. Read more in Bloomberg Law https://lnkd.in/euUdKArN

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The MacArthur Justice Center invites rising third-year law students and recent graduates to apply for sponsorship for externally funded legal fellowships in our Illinois, Missouri, and Washington, D.C. offices. The MJC Legal Fellowship is designed to facilitate learning for recent law school graduates and to support the work of our regional offices. Fellows will conduct their work under close supervision and direction of the Vice President and Legal Director, an Office Director, Senior Counsel/Supreme Court and Appellate Counsel, or Attorney. We're accepting applications through July 7, 2024. Apply today! https://lnkd.in/expP4mdZ

In light of #MensMentalHealthAwarenessMonth, we must not overlook the mental health needs of men in prison—specifically those enduring solitary confinement. These individuals endure severe and lasting psychological and physiological consequences. Nearly 50% of all prison suicides are among individuals held in isolation. At the MacArthur Justice Center, we advocate for our clients who endure solitary confinement and fight to end the practice. Learn more about our work here: https://lnkd.in/geTP29Af

The number of Illinois schools referring students to the police for discipline is on the rise. MacArthur Justice Center's Zoe Li says this ticketing practice "is a debilitating symptom of a larger problem: the transformation of our classrooms into carceral spaces." Learn more about the harmful and discriminatory practice of school ticketing and how MJC is fighting it.

This #MensMentalHealthAwarenessMonth, we're highlighting the need for men who are incarcerated to have access to mental health services. 55% of men in state prisons have a mental illness, and too few receive the care they deserve. At the MacArthur Justice Center, we advocate for safe conditions and access to quality physical and mental health care. Learn more about our work to advocate for the health and safety of people in American prisons and jails. https://lnkd.in/eXi_Kf68

MAJOR VICTORY: Chicago City Council just approved a $50 million settlement for the "Marquette Park Four" who were wrongfully imprisoned for a combined total of 73 years, ending their nearly three-decade quest for justice. "Charles, Larod, Lashawn, and Troshawn are among the scores of kids who the Chicago Police Department has targeted for false arrest and coercive interrogations over the years, leading to Chicago's reputation as the False Confession Capital of the country. In fact, three of the officers involved in this case—James Cassidy, Kenneth Boudreau, and Frank Valadez—framed four other teenagers (the "Englewood Four"), including my client Terrill Swift, just nine months before the teens in this case were arrested. Yet these officers have never been held to account for stealing so many young lives." — Alexa Van Brunt, MacArthur Justice Center attorney and counsel for Charles Johnson

Congratulations to MJC's own Timmy Châu for being recognized as one of 10 Leaders for A New Chicago by The Field Foundation of Illinois and the MacArthur Foundation. Congrats! #LeadersForANewChicago