APA is pleased to announce the release of our new online resource meant to guide prosecutors in their efforts to minimize unnecessary collateral consequences. The Collateral Consequences resource website, located at https://bit.ly/APACCSite, is the culmination of a project launched by APA with support from the Koch Foundation in 2019 to address issues of unrelated collateral consequences at plea in the state of North Carolina. This work was expanded to include trainings, webinars, and additional forms of guidance through a grant awarded to APA by the Coalition for Public Safety (CPS).
From the outset, the project’s goal was to provide prosecutors across the country with the tools necessary to recognize and prevent the harm caused by collateral consequences that are often levied against individuals without relation to the underlying criminal offense. These sorts of indirect penalties can erect barriers to housing, gainful employment, and several other critical opportunities, contributing to recidivism and serving no public safety purpose.
Our hope is that this easily accessible online resource will serve as a comprehensive educational tool for prosecutors seeking to understand the impact of collateral consequences and bring greater, more equitable justice to their jurisdictions. The resource includes a detailed overview of collateral consequences in the justice system, information on how prosecutors can intervene at each stage of the justice process to curtail the excess effects of a criminal record, a blog dedicated to recent news and project updates, and other valuable resources such as fact sheets and past webinars.
Learn more about this living resource here!
