The National Consortium is committed to encouraging the highest courts of each state to create commissions to examine the treatment accorded minorities in their courts; sharing the collective knowledge of task forces and commissions with courts, law enforcement, and the community; and providing technical assistance and expertise to commissions, task forces, and other interested organizations and individuals on the subject of racial and ethnic fairness.
In order to promote a court system that is fair to all and free of racial and ethnic bias, the National Consortium will work collaboratively to:
- Advance efforts to eliminate bias from court operations, promote equal access to the courts and inspire a high level of trust and public confidence in the courts;
- Share scholarly information, recommendations, and evidence-based practices with courts, the legal community, law enforcement, and the public;
- Strongly encourage the highest courts of each state to create, revitalize and support commissions to examine racial and ethnic fairness within their courts; and
- Provide technical expertise, consultation and support to existing commissions and other organizations.
The purposes of the National Consortium are:
- To provide an annual forum to discuss and share research and program activities, as well as progress made in program activities and recommended reforms;
- To encourage all state courts to establish or cause to establish an appropriate entity or investigative body with the purpose of examining the treatment accorded racial and ethnic minorities in the courts;
- To encourage all state courts or other established bodies to implement recommendations made as a result of a state’s findings; monitor the progress; advise the court on major emerging policies and procedures; and advise the court of proposed legislation that may adversely impact racial and ethnic minorities, women, and other low-income citizens;
- To work with the National Center for State Courts in its role as a clearinghouse and repository for task force and commission reports on racial and ethnic fairness in the courts;
- To develop a national agenda for educating the courts, the legal profession, the law enforcement community, and the general public concerning racial and ethnic fairness in the courts;
- To share the collective knowledge of former or existing task forces and commissions on racial and ethnic bias and fairness in the courts;
- To share and promote the collective knowledge in dealing with and promoting racial and ethnic fairness and impartiality in the courts, the legal profession, the law enforcement community, and the general public.
To view the complete list, click on bylaws section 3.1.
To view the complete list, click on bylaws section 4.1 (c) and (d).