Public Safety and Legal Counsel
Governors legal counsel serve as senior staff, overseeing legal issues with legislation, policy, executive orders, administrative actions, and executive appointments. Additionally, Governors are focused on public safety, crime, delinquency and related social and economic consequences. NGA serves the needs of governors and their policy advisors in a broad range of criminal, sentencing, corrections and justice-related policies.
Latest
Meet the team
- Ken Hardy, Program Director
- Lauren Dedon, Senior Legal Policy Advisor
- Erin Daneker, Policy Analyst
- Maria Kearl, Policy Analyst
- Aisley Wallace Harper, Policy Coordinator
NGA Public Safety & Legal Counsel networks
Governors Criminal Justice Policy Advisors Network
The Governors Criminal Justice Policy Advisors (CJPAs) Network provides a forum for governors’ criminal and juvenile justice policy advisors to connect with their peers in other states, promote regional information sharing and collaboration, and learn about best practices and the latest research in the field. NGA convenes CJPAs for an annual institute and offers customized technical assistance to them as requested through research and strategic planning support.
Governors’ Legal Counsel
Network
The Governors’ Legal Counsel Network is comprised of chief legal counsel, general counsel, and legal deputies to Governors. As part of this network, counsel have the unique opportunity to share best practices and legal lessons learned with peers across the nation. NGA convenes legal counsel on regular briefing calls, hosts counsel at an annual meeting, and provides ad hoc technical assistance and research support to the network on a vast array of legal and policy issues.
Consortium Of State Public Safety Executives
The Consortium of State Public Safety Executives is a network of cabinet-level secretaries and commissioners from across the country who are responsible for oversight of their state’s public safety enterprise, including state police, fire, corrections, emergency management and/or other related agencies. Members connect with their peers to share lessons learned, receive briefings from national experts on best practices and receive ongoing technical support from NGA staff.
Resources
Briefing on State Criminal Justice Data Systems
2024 Governors’ Legal Counsel Convening
Recognizing National Youth Justice Action Month
2024 Institute for State Criminal Justice and Public Safety Executives
Briefing on 2023-2024 U.S. Supreme Court Term
Briefing on Community Responses to Mass Violence Incidents
Briefing on Managing Public Records
CJPA Briefing on ‘Supporting Problem Solving and Specialty Courts’
CJPA Briefing on Considerations for Women in Correctional Settings
Briefing on State Pardon and Commutation Processes
CJPA Briefing On State Homelessness and Reentry Policy
