Implicit Bias Information:
Fines and Fees: The Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) formed a National Task Force on Fines, Fees and Bail Practices to address the ongoing impact that these legal financial obligations (LFOs) have on economically disadvantaged communities and to draft model statutes and court rules for setting, collecting, and waiving court-imposed payments.
Implicit bias: To raise awareness about the existence of implicit bias in the court community, the NCSC, with funding from the Open Society Institute, documented the development and implementation of pilot educational programs on the topic of implicit racial bias in three participating states. Program materials and lessons learned from this project may help to inform future educational and training efforts in improving fairness and cultural competence in the court community.
Language Access: The NCSC's Language Access Services Section provides state courts with resources to overcome language barriers and to ensure that providing individuals with limited English proficiency with access to the courts is a core function of the courts.
Public Trust and Confidence: NCSC’s 2022 survey of public opinion finds that public trust and confidence in the courts continues to slide. If courts wish to remain the most trusted branch of government, this slide must be halted.
Trends in State Courts 2022: External events continue to drive change and innovation in the courts. The 2022 edition of Trends in State Courts highlights post-pandemic eviction courts and eliminating racism and bias in the courts.