2016 Conference - Burlington Archives |

Mar 11

The Promise of Restorative Justice: Reduced Pressure on Courts, Reduced Recidivism, Increased Public Trust in the Rule of Law

In a thought provoking session at NASJE’s 2016 Annual Conference in Burlington, Vermont, Dr. Johannes Wheeldon and the Honorable David Suntag offered the underlying premises of restorative justice — while attempting to respond to criminal acts, the justice system itself causes harm, and the participation of those in the justice system is often limited to hiring a lawyer to navigate complex procedures. This lack of participation by those whose lives are affected leads to a default society. Restorative justice, on the other hand, demands meaningful participation and affords an opportunity to articulate our needs.

Nov 04

VIDEO: Jim Drennan receives Thorson Award

James “Jim” Drennan echoes the qualities honored by the Karen Thorson Award through his forty-year University of North Carolina School of Government career that started in 1974, and through his contributions to NASJE. Current NASJE communications committee chair Lynne Alexander sat down with the Jim for a short discussion about judicial education.

Nov 03

Impressions of the NASJE Conference by a Newbie

Last month, I found myself sharing a taxi from the Vermont Airport to the Burlington Hilton late Saturday night with another newly minted judicial educator, Meg Rowe. Meg and I were chatting in the back seat – we’d just met — when the taxi driver asked us what “judicial education” was. Even as newbies, we’d answered that question a few times already and offered him practiced explanations. When we were finished, he said, “Do you work on those new drug courts? Because the one here saved my life.” And he told us a bit about himself, offering us a story and a life that connected the NASJE Conference and our new profession to something more real than practiced explanations about judicial education. Our cab ride unexpectedly reminded us of the human value of the work we do.

Nov 03

Cultivating Resiliency: A Personal and Professional Journey

“A hero is someone who creates safe spaces for others.” That is what we do as educators, so we should do the little things that create safe spaces for ourselves and for those around us.

Nov 03

Ending the Criminalization of Mental Illness

This compelling blended learning event at the 2016 NAJSE annual conference combined experiential learning and more traditional learning. Session participants watched the heart-wrenching, award-winning documentary God Knows Where I Am, participated in a discussion about the film with colleague Joan Bishop, and listened to a presentation by Judge Steve Leifman about his judicial experiences and interactions with the mental health system and the mentally ill appearing before him.

Aug 29

CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT: Keynote Speaker Judge Victoria Pratt on Procedural Fairness

Judge Victoria Pratt, chief judge of the Newark Municipal Court in Newark, New Jersey, will be the opening keynote speaker at NASJE’s 2016 Annual Conference in Burlington, Vermont, Sept. 25-28. Judge Pratt runs the pioneering court that she helped build from the ground up based on procedural fairness principles.

Aug 04

Join Us in Beautiful Burlington, Vermont, Sept. 25-28

Join us for NASJE’s Annual Conference, Changing Perspectives in Judicial Branch Education: Re-Engage, Rethink, Renew, September 25-28, in beautiful Burlington, Vermont. The Annual Conference Committee has planned an excellent array of educational sessions, including: The what, why, and how of leveraging mobile learning Read more

Aug 03

CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT: Award-Winning Documentary to Illuminate the Intersection of the Criminal Justice System and Mental Illness

A highly anticipated session at NASJE’s upcoming annual conference in Vermont is a plenary session built around the award-winning documentary God Knows Where I Am, a film that personalizes the intersection of the criminal justice system and mental illness. In advance of its theatrical release, conference attendees will have an opportunity to view the documentary and discuss its relevance to judicial branch educators.