The Contra Costa Reentry Project (CORE) assists the Contra Costa County Public Defender Office with its Clean Slate Unit, which works to help remove the barriers that a prior arrest or conviction can present to employment, housing, public benefits, and family reunification. CORE also assists with the Office’s Post-Conviction Unit, which assists incarcerated clients with re-sentencing, parole, and other types of post-conviction relief.
For Clean Slate Unit projects, students will assist with expungement, early termination of probation, and factual innocence relief. Students will have the opportunity to:
- Draft applications and petitions for clean slate relief
- Work directly with clients to gather required documentation and guide clients through the post-conviction relief process
- Attend Contra Costa Clean Slate Intake events and assist with screening clients for relief eligibility, drafting personal statements, and registering voters
- Observe clean slate hearings and visit the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office
For Post-Conviction Unit projects, students will assist the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office in identifying California Racial Justice Act violations and potential cases. Students will have the opportunity to:
- Review the defendant’s arrest records and record data on different elements relevant to RJA violations
- Analyze various other documents to determine what type of post-conviction relief clients may be eligible for
- Strategize with attorneys to develop reentry services for clients
- Potentially draft research memos on parole and post-conviction-related legal issues
- Review trial transcripts for potential Racial Justice Act violations
Supervision: Students in CORE provide legal services under the supervision of attorneys at the Contra Costa County Office of the Public Defender.
Time Commitment: Time commitment is roughly 20 – 30 hours per semester. There are two required trainings in the first semester and optional monthly office hours for assistance with project work. Project work can be completed independently, but in-person attendance is required for training and office hours. Dates for these trainings and meetings are TBD, but will likely be during the lunch hour.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at contracostareentry@law.berkeley.edu.