Criminal Justice Programs
The Legal Action Center helps improve the criminal justice system by:
- assisting qualified people with criminal records in fighting discrimination and obtaining employment and services needed to re-enter society successfully;
- advocating for reform of mandatory sentencing laws to enable community sanctioning of appropriate - especially non-violent, often addicted - offenders, and the expansion of funding for community corrections, including alternatives to incarceration;
- analyzing barriers facing people with criminal records as they seek to obtain employment and housing and otherwise become responsible and productive contributors to society, and devising innovative responses to these issues; and
- providing training and assistance to service providers and government agencies on all these issues.
The Legal Action Center provides programs both Nationally and within New York State.
| NATIONAL PROGRAMS |
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| Legal Services |
| LAC provides legal assistance to people in recovery, people with HIV, and people with criminal records who suffer from discrimination or violations of privacy |
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| Policy Advocacy |
| LAC advocates for repeal of the drug felon ban on welfare and food stamps and to make employment and housing available for qualified people with criminal records |
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| Research |
| LAC conducts research on the interactions of the addiction treatment and prevention field and other systems, including how Medicaid & TANF can fund increased access to alcohol and drug treatment LAC conducts research on the legal barriers facing people with criminal records in all 50 states |
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| Education, Training and Technical Assistance |
| LAC provides technical assistance to agencies that work to expand employment and housing opportunities for people with criminal records and help them overcome other legal barriers to their successful re-entry into society |
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| National H.I.R.E. Network |
| LAC’s National H.I.R.E. Network provides training, technical assistance, and other services aimed at increasing employment opportunities for people with criminal records The National H.I.R.E. Network serves as a clearinghouse of information on issues relating to the employment of people with criminal records throughout the country The National H.I.R.E. Network plays a leading role in public policy advocacy to promote employment for people with criminal records |
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| NEW YORK PROGRAMS |
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| Legal Assistance LAC assists individuals with criminal records, and agencies that work with them, to overcome legal barriers that prevent them from gaining employment, housing and other necessities LAC helps individuals to clean up their rap sheets |
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| Policy Advocacy LAC conducts advocacy and research to reform the Rockefeller-Era Drug Laws LAC promotes a fair and effective criminal justice system and advocates increased funding for community corrections LAC works to help people with criminal records successfully re-enter society |
