NAPD 2025 Changemakers Forum

The courage to provide complete legal representation without exception to the astonishment of judges, prosecutors, and politicians. Using the ABA guidelines and the National Public Defense Workload Standards to remediate complicity and build integrity within public defenders.

Public defenders get hundreds of hours of video discovery each year. Yet with today’s caseloads, how many have time to find all the needle-in-the-haystack moments that can effectively hold police accountable? In this era of mass surveillance, it is critical for public defenders to have the necessary tools to quickly analyze this footage in defense of their clients.

In this session, hear how public defenders are using AI tools like JusticeText to find and leverage those critical moments, saving hours and securing better client outcomes in the process.

We will share why our team of ex-Google engineers started building JusticeText as a school project five years ago. We will highlight specific strategies on how public defenders can partner with technologists to build tools that level the playing field and tackle mass incarceration.

Learn more about how Harris County attorneys are leveraging AI in BWC review today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu19FcOWuOc

How I used my pain, my past to fuel my passion to advocate for positive culture change...

I went from being a high school drop out to an accomplished author, a state inmate to state employee...

By changing the way I think...

Join us for an eye-opening presentation that challenges traditional approaches to video evidence in public defense. In this thought-provoking 8-minute talk, our speaker will explore how emerging technologies can transform the overwhelming task of video discovery for overworked public defenders.

Learn how advanced video analytics, AI, and machine learning are creating unprecedented opportunities to enhance equal justice and constitutional rights. Through compelling real-world examples, you'll discover how these tools have already helped prevent miscarriages of justice in criminal cases.

This presentation delves into crucial questions about bias mitigation, ethical implementation, and ensuring these powerful tools reach those who need them most. You'll leave with a practical framework for reimagining video evidence review and clear pathways for collaboration between public defense offices, technology providers, and affected communities

As public defenders, our primary playing field is the court room. We advocate for our clients on an individual basis and try to obtain good outcomes in a bad system. But, there is another playing field that public defenders should enter: legislatures. There, we can work to improve the bad system as a whole, helping more people. Politics are fraught, but it is incumbent on us all to change this system in whatever way we can, which will ultimately help the people we represent.

Public defenders are facing a flood of video and audio discovery—from bodycams, to surveillance, jail calls, and all kinds of recordings. We’ve built AI-powered tools that help you manage it all: transcribe, search, summarize, compare angles, ask free-form questions, and create video exhibits.

When a public defender recently saw some of these tools, he remarked, “I hope the DAs don’t have this.”
It got us thinking—what if public defenders actually had better technology?

In this Spark, we’ll show you how we’re working to make that vision real, including a preview of powerful new tools in development. We’ll also launch a new program offering pro bono AI support for high-impact cases where new technology could make the difference.

 As a public defender, your clients count on you to be in their corner. Today, many cases are won or lost on the basis of digital evidence. Body-worn camera footage. Surveillance video. Interrogation video. Recorded conversations. Transcripts. Even drone footage. However, you are forced to spend inordinate amounts of time collecting, reviewing, scanning, copying, uploading, transcribing and trying to make sense of evidence. With modern Digital Evidence Management (DEMS) technology, you can mount a more effective legal defense on behalf of your clients.
In this session, we’ll discuss how to remove the manual processes and worries of managing digital evidence, so you can focus on building a successful defense, and get to the truth faster.

Public defenders face unique challenges in navigating the expanding landscape of digital evidence and adapting to rapidly evolving technology. In this session, This session will highlight how Axon is leveraging AI to develop solutions that enhance efficiency and support decision-making, all while maintaining a steadfast commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical integrity. We’ll also discuss the potential risks associated with AI, and how Axon’s approach is designed to safeguard against them. Join us to learn how Axon’s AI-powered innovations can help public defenders manage the complexities of modern justice while preserving the core values of fairness and equity.

This discussion sheds light on the justice system's blind spots through a family’s experience navigating the system. It offers a firsthand look at where the system breaks down—and how we can reimagine and transform the system into one that truly delivers justice.

We will explore some ways to be mindful about initiating change, building on good bones and ways to minimize trauma and build partners.