The Commission is tasked with investigating and making recommendations to promote fairness and equal application of law. Below are some current commission recommendations and the status of those recommendations.
| Topic | Status | Commission Position |
|---|---|---|
| Immigration Enforcement In and Around Courthouses | Pending Letter to District Attorney Krasner regarding ICE Letter to District Attorney Strouse regarding ICE Letter to Administrative Office of PA Courts regarding ICE | Enforcement actions in and around courthouses discourages individuals who may find themselves litigants, witnesses, and victims in civil or criminal matters from availing themselves of vital court services, undermines public confidence in the judicial system, and makes our communities less safe. |
| Topic | Status | Commission Position |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Financial Obligations (Court Costs, Fines, Fees, and Restitution) | Pending 2025 Comments to Court on Republished Criminal Rules re Legal Financial Obligations 2024 Comments to Court on Proposed Criminal Rules Consistent with Act 163 of 2022 (Reduction, Waiver of LFOs) | All Pennsylvanians should have the opportunity to access justice equally, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Adopting court rules that permit the reduction or waiver of LFOs for individuals unable to pay them prevents unnecessary justice system involvement and ensures that courts are separating punishment from poverty. |
| Topic | Status | Commission Position |
|---|---|---|
| Barriers to Jury Service: Juror Mental Health | Pending Juror Mental Health Pamphlet Template Letter to President Judges across the Commonwealth re Juror Mental Health Pamphlet | While the right to a trial by jury is woven into the fabric of our justice system, jury duty has a documented impact on those called to serve. Recent surveys demonstrate negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, and fear that persist well after the completion of service. Mitigating this impact is a best practice that reduces barriers to serving on a jury. It is essential that jurors receive mental health supports such as information on potential post-service stress and connections to local behavioral health resources. |
| Topic | Status | Commission Position |
|---|---|---|
| Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence | Pending 2025 PCADV Information Guide: The Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) | Domestic violence (DV) is distinguishable from other crimes due to its unique dynamics of power and control. For domestic violence to be addressed effectively, a cross-system, collaborative response is necessary. One successful example of such collaboration is the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP), a partnership between law enforcement and DV service providers in which police responding to incidents involving intimate partner violence ask victims a series of questions. Depending on the responses provided, the police may immediately put victims in touch with their local DV program to begin safety planning. LAP has been shown to reduce DV-related fatalities and enhance the safety of victims and law enforcement alike. PCFJ is committed to working with partners such as PCADV to encourage broader adoption of LAP throughout the Commonwealth. |