Three Policymakers

Three policymakers are on my mind today.

The first is Barack Obama, who issued a statement in support of national drug court commencement week (who knew there was such a thing?). Among other things, Obama says: "Drug courts help participants recover from addiction and prevent future criminal activity while also reducing the burden and cost of incarceration."

The second is Cy Vance, the Manhattan District Attorney. This morning, I attended a breakfast in his honor. In his speech, Vance touched on a number of issues that are important to the Center for Court Innovation, including his support for the Manhattan Mental Health Court, geographic prosecution, and the strengthening of penalties for those who commit acts of domestic violence.

Finally, I've been thinking of Judith Kaye, the former chief judge of New York State. The New York Bar Foundation has established a fund in her honor that supports youth courts across New York State. Yesterday, Susan Lindenauer came to our office on behalf of the Bar Foundation and delivered two checks to support our youth programming efforts. Even though she is no longer in office, Kaye continues to make an impact...