Overview of Project. The American Bar Association (ABA), as the national representative of the legal profession in the United States, is committed to promoting fairness and justice, particularly when a life is at stake. Since 1997, the ABA has sought a nationwide suspension of executions because of its concerns that U.S. death penalty jurisdictions fail to comport in crucial respects with due process, ensure fairness, or provide adequate safeguards to minimize the risk that innocent persons are executed. In 2001, the ABA established the Death Penalty Moratorium Implementation Project (Project) to educate high-level decision-makers and members of the Bar on systemic problems with the death penalty, and to encourage jurisdictions to make positive reforms of thier death penalty systems and, where possible, suspend executions.
Currently, the Project is undertaking a series of comprehensive assessments on the operation of capital punishment within several U.S. jurisdctions. Each "State Death Penalty Assessment" evaluates a state's laws, procedures, and practices in order to compare those laws, procedures, and practices with a series of ABA capital punishment-related policies—the better to ensure that a state's death penalty is both fair and accurate. Areas covered in the State Assessments include (1) law enforcement identification and interrogation procedures; (2) preservation and testing of DNA and other types of evidence; (3) crime laboratory and medical examiner practices; (4) prosecutorial and defense services; (5) direct appeal and state post-conviction procedures; (6) jury instructions in capital cases; (7) clemency proceedings; (8) judicial independence; (9) the treatment of racial and ethnic minorities; and (10) the treatment of mentally retarded and mentally ill offenders. Each State Assessment culminates in the release of a report in the evaluated jurisdiction. More information about the Project and its work may be found at http://www.americanbar.org/moratorium.
The State Assessments provide jurisdictions with an independent and accurate view of any problems that may exist in their capital punishment systems. In addition to describing particular deficiencies, the State Assessments also specify how jurisdictions can and should improve their laws, procedures, and practices. In conducting each State Assessment, the Project works with notable members of the legal community in the studied jurisdictions.
Intern Responsibilities. The Project is in search of undergraduate interns (3rd and 4th year preferred) to assist in finalizing portions of its forthcoming Texas Assessment Report and Virginia Assessment Report. Students will be able to contribute to, proofread and edit, and fact- and cite-check a national publication, with name recognition in the Acknowledgments. Examples of previously published Reports may be found at www.americanbar.org/moratorium.
Intern Qualifications. Interns should possess exceptional writing and organizational skills, be willing to familiarize themselves with the citation standards for legal materials found in The Bluebook, and possess a keen eye for detail. Proficiency with Microsoft Office is required and familiarity or previous experience with Westlaw or LexisNexis is a plus. Interns must be able to work efficiently under a deadline and with little supervision. Candidates with an interest in law, human and civil rights, and/or criminal justice are preferred. For students interested in attending law school, this internship provides an excellent opportunity to obtain some of the legal research and writing skills required of sucessful law students and lawyers.
