Give 8/28 for Gideon's Promise

“When the cameras are off and no one is watching, public defenders fight every day to interrupt that violence.  As public defenders, we stand with Black Lives.” - Founder of Gideon's Promise, Jonathan Rapping

Mission:

Gideon’s Promise is a nonprofit public defender organization whose mission is to transform the criminal justice system by building a movement of public defenders who provide equal justice for marginalized communities. We train, mentor, and provide support to public defenders. Our vision is a nation where every person has access to zealous, outstanding representation necessary to ensure “equal justice for all” in the criminal justice arena. 

Why 8/28:

Moments on 8/28 throughout history include the brutal murder of Emmett Till, MLK's delivery of the "I Have A Dream" speech, the landfall of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and the official nomination of the first Black president, Barack Obama. Gideon's Promise is  determined to fight for the justice of African-Americans in the criminal legal system by equipping public defenders, who represent 80 percent of all individuals charged with a crime, with the skills, sensitivity, and soul needed to competently represent their clients. 

The problem:

African-Americans are incarcerated at more than 5x the rate of whites. Incarcerated individuals suffer loss of wages, jobs, and even custody of their children. These effects ripple through a family unit. An untrained public defender facing overwhelming caseloads may encourage the defendant to enter a guilty plea, despite better legal options. This action may allow the individual to return to home and work, but their conviction could cause future harms against employment viability, licensure to drive, subsequent criminal cases, or immigration status. 

Our solution:

Defendants with Gideon’s Promise attorneys are significantly less likely to enter a guilty plea, are more likely to get pretrial diversion, and are less likely to face incarceration. These results decrease the chance of exponential economic damage to an individual, their family, and ultimately the community they represent.

We need your support. Join the Gideon's Promise family and provide training, mentorship, and community to public defenders nationwide. 

Click here for more information on our Public Defenders Rally for Black Lives

John Lewis on public defenders: