Justices, judges, system administrators, probation, and parole from across the upper-Midwest gathered in Omaha to discuss the Blueprint for Racial Justice. The Blueprint project was launched in 2021 in response to action from the Conference of Chief Justices, and the Conference of State Court Administrators. It examines systemic changes needed to make equal justice under the law an enduring reality for all.

According to Nebraska Justice Stephanie Stacy, chair of the Nebraska Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, “It was eye-opening to learn that the blueprint is a project; and is continually being built –it shapeshifts all of the time.”

Bringing participants up-to-date, Justice Stacy and fellow Nebraska Justice Jeffrey Funke presented recent projects through their respective committees.   

 Stacy outlined two recent successes of the Access to Justice Committee:

• Completion of the first round of Native American Community Engagement Initiative to Focus on Improving Trust and Confidence in the Courts
• Implementation of the statewide court user survey measuring access and fairness.  

Funke, liaison to the Nebraska Probation System, noted current programs for probation:

• Problem-Solving Courts have launched a survey tool to evaluate those being accepted into Problem-solving courts, ensuring there is no bias in accessing the services of these courts.  
• Efforts are underway to increase the staff’s diversity, implement internships for college students with probation offices, and improve recruiting advertising on social media.

Judge Donovan Foughty from North Dakota, who is also the president of the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts, discussed related initiatives occurring in North Dakota and nationally. Edwin Bell, Director of Racial Justice, Equity and Inclusion for the National Center for State Courts, facilitated the discussion.

During Nebraska’s Judicial roundtable, presentations were made on improving racial equality by intensifying efforts to ensure all court users, litigants, and community members are heard and respected by the nation’s justice system. The session was held during the American Probation and Parole Association’s 2023 Winter Regional Training Institute hosted in Nebraska.