The Bar Association of San Francisco’s (BASF) Criminal Justice Task Force (CJTF) is currently in its fourth year of examining practices, conducting in-depth research and making recommendations to policy makers and agency leaders around criminal justice reform in San Francisco and in California.  On March 27, taskforce members gathered to reflect on and celebrate its work.

At the reception, held at Tony Nik’s Café in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, Julie Traun was honored with the taskforce’s first Criminal Justice Reform Award. Traun, BASF’s Director of Court Programs, is a tireless advocate for criminal justice reform. She has been an instrumental force in the taskforce’s work, has chaired the Data Collection Subcommittee, and more recently, presented  the taskforce’s research on devices commonly known as tasers, educating decision-makers in San Francisco, San Mateo, and beyond.

The taskforce, established in 2015, is composed of prosecutors, defense attorneys, civil rights attorneys, law professors, the judiciary, members of law enforcement (police and sheriff) and police oversight agencies.  The taskforce formed several subcommittees to examine practices regarding the collection and retention of data in detentions/arrests, analysis of collected data, use policies regarding body cameras, training regarding bias (including implicit bias), use of grand juries in police-involved shootings, civilian oversight, use of force, Taser© use/safety, and bail reform.

Thank you to all task force members who volunteer their time and resources to help address the challenges our city and state face in carrying out equal justice.

Learn more about the Criminal Justice Task Force – visit www.sfbar.org/cjtf.