From the SWJDC:
The Southwest Juvenile Defender Center
(SWJDC), a program of the Center for Children, Law & Policy at the
University of Houston Law Center, is accepting applications for the seventh annual
Napoleon Beazley Defender Award. The
award recognizes the efforts of a graduating law student who is committed to
working on behalf of the defense of children in our region: Arizona, Colorado,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah. The award will be presented at our
annual Zealous Advocacy Conference on May 17, 2013
SWJDC works to bring together juvenile
defenders, mental health professionals, educators, legislators and other
juvenile justice professionals in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado,
and Utah. We view the representation of
children as a holistic paradigm and encourage the zealous advocacy of children
whether in schools, delinquency centers, dependency situations or as
unaccompanied minors in the immigration system.
To meet this goal SWJDC provides training to individuals working on
behalf of children, the services of a social worker to help attorneys
representing children, technical assistance to defenders across the region,
publications, community outreach, and other resources for children and
families.
Napoleon Beazley was executed in Texas for a
crime he committed when he was seventeen.
He believed that the death penalty was morally wrong and that children
deserved second chances. When asked about his upcoming execution, Napoleon
responded by saying “I want something positive to come out of this no matter
what happens to me. To me that is
important, and that is what I'm focused on.”
The United States Supreme Court concluded in Roper v. Simmons
that the death penalty for juveniles was unconstitutional, but it was too late
for Napoleon. This award honors his
memory and the work he believed needed to be done.
Applicants must be law students who graduated
during the 2012-13 academic year, registered to take the bar in one of the
states mentioned above, and planning to practice in some area of children and
the law. Applications must include a
resume, two letters of recommendation, and an essay of no more than 500 words
that states why the applicant should receive the award. All applications will be reviewed by the
Napoleon Beazley Defender Award Committee and must be received by April 8, 2013
by 5:00 PM. No late or incomplete
applications will be considered.
Applications may be sent by mail or e-mail to:
Professor
Ellen Marrus
University
of Houston Law Center
Center
for Children, Law & Policy
100
Law Center Drive,
Houston,
TX 77204-6060
EMarrus@Central.UH.edu
