Massachusetts Bar Association President Douglas K. Sheff has
appointed a Blue Ribbon Commission on Criminal Justice Compensation
to examine the impact of low prosecutor and public defender
salaries on the state's criminal justice system.
The Blue Ribbon Commission is comprised of a select group of
leaders from law and business, including former elected
representatives and judges. Its members are expected to take up the
mantle from the MBA's groundbreaking "Callahan Report," which in
1994 found that an inadequate salary structure hindered the
criminal justice system's ability to operate fairly and
effectively. With little movement in criminal justice salaries
nearly 20 years later, the Blue Ribbon Commission anticipates its
report, expected in the next few months, will uncover deeper
problems, requiring an urgent response from state
legislators.
"The lack of proper compensation in our criminal justice system is
not simply a court issue; it is a direct affront to the public's
constitutional rights to a fair and speedy trial and effective
assistance of counsel," said MBA President Douglas K. Sheff. "It is
my sincere hope that the Blue Ribbon Commission's forthcoming
report, containing the recommendations of some of our most
respected and forward-thinking leaders, will spark the appropriate
action in the commonwealth that this critical issue deserves."
The commission will be chaired by MBA Past President
Richard P. Campbell. Other commission members
include:
- Denise Squillante, MBA past president
- William D. Delahunt, former congressman and
district attorney for Norfolk County
- Hon. Suzanne V. DelVecchio (ret.), former
chief justice Superior Court, mediator, Commonwealth Mediation
- Gerard T. Leone, partner, Nixon Peabody LLP
and former district attorney, Middlesex County
- Hon. Charles Johnson, chief justice, Boston
Municipal Court
- Richard Lord, chief executive officer and
president, Associated Industries of Massachusetts
- Martin W. Healy, commission counsel, MBA chief
legal counsel and chief operating officer
Click here to view the MBA's 1994 "Striking a
Balance: Adequate Compensation-Effective Representation," also
known as the "Callahan Report."