The Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) is Harvard Law School\u2019s curriculum-based clinical program in criminal law. \u00a0 Under the direction of Professor Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., CJI specializes in criminal law practice, education, and research. \u00a0 The cornerstone of CJI is a teaching clinic in which third-year Harvard Law students, under the supervision of CJI\u2019s Clinical Instructors, represent indigent criminal defendants and juveniles who have been accused of crimes in the local district and juvenile courts.<\/p>\n
Director Emeritus<\/em> and Founder, Professor Charles J. Ogletree, Jr. explains,<\/p>\n \u201cMy goal was to go beyond the traditional view of a clinic as one that would train students to represent clients on a wide range of legal service areas. \u00a0 My thought was that we had to create scholarship, develop models, offer opinions, and be considered an important player in debates about the criminal justice system.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Since opening its doors in 1990, CJI has realized these goals. \u00a0 In its first decade, CJI has expanded both the scope and depth of its coverage. \u00a0 In 1990, there were two CJI Clinical Instructors; now there are four \u2013 Kristin Muniz, Robert E. Proctor, Gloria Tan and Dehlia Umunna. \u00a0 In addition, Chris Pierce is CJI\u2019s social worker. \u00a0 Anna Pierce serves as Administrative Director and Amy E. Soto serves as Administrative Coordinator.<\/p>\n Students, who are trained in both adult and juvenile practice, represent defendants and juveniles on a variety of matters from misdemeanors to felonies to probation surrenders.<\/p>\n David Deakin \u201991, an alumnus of CJI\u2019s first class says, \u00a0 \u201cMy CJI experience confirmed for me my fascination with criminal law and my love of criminal trial work. \u00a0 While at CJI, I was exposed to a number of extremely intelligent, highly motivated, and creative criminal defense lawyers. \u00a0 Through their supervision of my work, they taught me the meaning of zealous advocacy on behalf of a client within the bounds of legal ethics. \u00a0 My work at CJI instilled in me a profound respect and affection for my colleagues in the defense bar, and I never lose sight of the importance of their work to our constitutional system of government.\u201d<\/p>\n CJI is a multifaceted institute. \u00a0 In addition to the clinical program, the Institute pursues various criminal justice initiatives and engages in broader public education. \u00a0 According to Professor Ogletree, \u201cWe have published articles, op-eds, drafted amicus<\/i> briefs and handled briefs on appeal on a number of important local and national cases.\u201d \u00a0 In 1995, CJI, in conjunction with the NAACP, published a book entitled Beyond the Rodney King Story: \u00a0 An Investigation of Police Conduct in Minority Communities<\/i> . \u00a0 Professor Ogletree and CJI staff have consulted with a myriad of organizations, including the NAACP, the Leadership Council on Civil Rights, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and a number of local community criminal justice groups. \u00a0 Professor Ogletree and CJI\u2019s former deputy director Mary Prosser advocated to the Massachusetts state legislature on a proposed amendment to disenfranchise incarcerated felons by taking away their right to vote. \u00a0 They gave testimony in opposition to the legislation and participated in panels sponsored by the Suffolk County Sheriff\u2019s Department and other community groups.<\/p>\n CJI has played a major role in a number of criminal cases. \u00a0 In 2000, former clinical instructor David Poole (now a district court judge) persuaded the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts to overturn Jermaine Berry\u2019s wrongful manslaughter conviction (a case which former CJI clinical instructor Syrie Davis Fried filed the first appeal in the Massachusetts Appeals Court.) \u00a0 Over the years CJI staff have filed a number of amicus<\/i> briefs, including briefs challenging the application of preventive bail detention for juveniles and the constitutionality of the DNC collection statute regarding prisoners (co-authored with Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services).<\/p>\n CJI has also been involved in many high-profiles cases. \u00a0 Former CJI deputy director J. Soffiyah Elijah and CJI social worker Chris Pierce, who labored for 5 years, secured the paroled release of a client who had served 31 years in prison on charges stemming from the shooting of a law enforcement official. \u00a0 Former deputy director Mary Prosser and former clinical instructor Abbe Smith, along with several CJI students, including Jennifer Brown \u201993, represented Lisa Grimshaw (one of the \u201cFramingham Eight,\u201d a group of women convicted of killing their abusers) in her commutation proceedings. \u00a0 Many CJI students were involved in writing and researching several of the briefs. \u00a0 The research and scholarship that Professor Ogletree and CJI clinical instructors have pursued have been incorporated into the classroom and have enhanced the students\u2019 clinical experience and understanding of broader criminal justice issues.<\/p>\n CJI has sponsored several nationally and internationally recognized conferences on issues ranging from the death penalty to women in prison to juvenile justice. \u00a0 CJI clinical instructors participate in training sessions for new criminal defense lawyers sponsored by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education and the Committee for Public Counsel Services. \u00a0 The instructors have also participated in \u201cThe New England Innocence Project\u201d and the Subcommittee of the Boston Bar Association on Reintegration and Parole.<\/p>\n In addition, CJI clinical instructors coach the Harvard Trial Team, which has participated in the National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition every year since 1991. \u00a0 The team, under the coaching leadership of J. Soffiyah Elijah and Gloria Tan, garnered first place honors in 2004. \u00a0 In many of these competitions, Harvard\u2019s team has won, or has proceeded to the final or semi-final rounds of competition.<\/p>\n In terms of future directions of CJI, Professor Ogletree says that he would like CJI to be a \u201cfull service Criminal Justice Institute\u201d for clients who require legal assistance with issues of deportation, asylum and refugee status.<\/p>\n \u201cOur clients, many of whom are bilingual and multilingual, not only find themselves facing criminal sanctions, but other real risks of loss of liberty and life if they are returned to countries where they have been critical of governments and military regimes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Professor Ogletree envisions working more closely with the both the Harvard Law School Human Rights Program and the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic on these issues. CJI student Julie Wimmer (’11), under the supervision of clinical instructor Gloria Tan, persuaded the court to vacate the conviction of a client who was facing deportation due to his conviction on simple possession of marijuana from 2003. After the conviction was vacated, the government dropped the deportation proceedings, and the client was able to remain in the country. In addition, one of his goals for CJI is to play a pivotal role in shaping the debate on re-entry programs for former offenders, and finding ways to \u201cdeal with the growing population of former prisoners, particularly non-violent drug offenders, who are trying to return to the community and lead successful and productive lives.\u201d CJI students and supervisors help clients seal records so tehy can better pursue work opportunities in their attempts to rehabilitate and improve their lives.<\/p>\n Although the criminal justice system has evolved over the past 15 years, Professor Ogletree believes the central mission of CJI remains the same. \u00a0 In his words, \u201cIt\u2019s still, at rock bottom, research, education and practice. \u00a0 The difference is that we have to interface a number of variables \u2013 technology, globalization and concerns about client privacy. \u00a0 So our efforts will go beyond individual client representation and look to some of the impacts of technology, globalization and government\u2019s increasing restraints on privacy as key challenges that we face, [and will continue to face], in the 21st century. \u00a0 And I also think that we will see more sophisticated and complex client problems when we\u2019re looking at a multilingual population, a younger population and legal problems that aren\u2019t strictly criminal but involve immigration, international matters and human rights concerns. \u00a0 It\u2019s more complex and more expansive, and I\u2019m confident we\u2019re ready for the challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n Harvard Law School Criminal Justice Institute The Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) is Harvard Law School\u2019s curriculum-based clinical program in criminal 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PUBLICATIONS<\/b><\/h3>\n
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