Progress Report 2005

The Nebraska Minority and Justice Implementation Committee is a unique statewide collaboration that works to develop and implement just and sustainable policy reforms that will not only improve the system of justice but will also strengthen public trust and confidence in our laws and court system. The Committee is a joint effort of the Nebraska State Bar Association and the Nebraska Supreme Court, appointed by the Supreme Court in May of 2003 in response to a Task Force’s two-year investigation of racial and ethnic bias and discrimination in Nebraska’s justice system. The mission of the Committee is to achieve four primary aims: • address racial disparities in both the juvenile and adult justice systems • ensure equal access to justice • increase the diversity of Nebraska’s judicial workforce • increase the diversity of Nebraska’s legal profession The Committee is pleased to share these brief descriptions of the progress it made in 2005. Chairs and staff of the MJIC are Hon. John Gerrard, Nebraska Supreme Court and Co-Chair of the MJIC; Jane Schoenike, Executive Director of the Nebraska State Bar Association; Liz Neeley, PhD, Project Director of the MJIC and Linda Crump, Office of Equity Access and Diversity UNL, Co-Chair of the MJIC