Criminal Law Library BlogArticles Posted in News from Organizations
ABA Criminal Justice Section Update: July 2026
CJS: Chair Melba Pearson’s celebration of the Criminal Justice Section
We started this term needing to make real choices about our budget. We made cuts. We didn’t get to do everything we wanted to do this year, and I won’t pretend otherwise. But we close this term with a balanced budget and a Section that is genuinely better off than the one that I inherited. Building off the hard work of past Chairs Tina Luongo and Sidney Butcher, that discipline is something I’m proud to hand to the next Chair. And even with those constraints, our programming grew, our resolutions grew; Committee participation is up across the board. That is the real health of this section.
CBO’s Quarter in Review: July 2026
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) plays a central role in informing Congress by providing independent, nonpartisan analyses of federal budgetary and economic issues. Over the past three months, the agency has issued a wide range of budget and economic analyses, cost estimates, and other analytical products in support of Congress throughout the legislative process.
Over the past three months, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a wide range of budget and economic analyses, cost estimates, and other analytical products in support of Congress throughout the legislative process as discussed in
The CBO’s Quarter in Review: July 2006 linked to this post is a report that serves as a companion to CBO’s Recent Publications and Work in Progress (June 30, 2026), providing an overview of the agency’s recent publications as well as reports and studies scheduled for release in the coming months.
Overview of Income Polarization Redux: NYC’s Wage Gains are (Again) Flowing to the Top
Source: Mohamed Obaidy, Associate Director, Economic Policy Team, Center for New York City Affairs (CNYCA), Income Polarization Redux: NYC’s Wage Gains Are (Again) Flowing to the Top (2026).
Introduction
In Income Polarization Redux: NYC’s Wage Gains Are (Again) Flowing to the Top, Mohamed Obaidy examines recent wage, employment, and productivity trends in New York City and concludes that economic gains are becoming increasingly concentrated among higher-income workers and higher-paying industries. While New York City’s economy continues to grow and workers are becoming more productive, the benefits of that growth are not being distributed evenly across the workforce.
Proposed Changes to AALL Bylaws
At its April 2026 meeting, the AALL (American Association of Law Libraries) Executive Board approved two proposed revisions to Article IV of the AALL Bylaws, both related to student membership. These proposed changes align with AALL’s Strategic Plan—specifically on strengthening the pipeline to the profession. By broadening the definition of student membership and increasing flexibility in dues, the Association aims to reduce barriers to entry, support a wider range of educational pathways, and expand opportunities to engage future legal information professionals. This approach also supports efforts to increase visibility of the profession and foster early connections through mentorship, skill development, and community engagement.
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Kilpatrick Launches AI Lab: A Glimpse into the Future of Legal Innovation
Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving beyond experimentation in the legal profession and becoming embedded in the day-to-day operations of leading law firms. The latest example comes from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, which has announced the creation of an AI Lab dedicated to developing customized AI solutions for both its internal staff and its clients. The initiative reflects a growing recognition that off the shelf AI tools may not always address the specialized needs of legal practice, prompting firms to invest in tailored applications designed to enhance efficiency, knowledge management, client service, and legal workflows.
The establishment of a dedicated AI Lab also signals a broader shift occurring throughout the legal industry. Rather than viewing artificial intelligence solely as a productivity tool, many firms are beginning to treat AI as a strategic capability that can differentiate their services and strengthen client relationships. By bringing lawyers, technologists, and innovation professionals together in a structured development environment, firms hope to create practical solutions that address real world legal challenges while maintaining the professional standards, confidentiality requirements, and ethical obligations unique to the practice of law.
Kilpatrick’s initiative offers an opportunity to examine how law firms are evolving from consumers of legal technology to active developers of AI enabled services. It also raises important questions about the future role of lawyers, the increasing demand for legal technology expertise, and the ways in which artificial intelligence may reshape the delivery of legal services in the years ahead.
CBO: Potential Costs of a National Missile Defense System
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Report, May 12, 2026.*
CBO estimates that a national missile defense system possessing capabilities broadly consistent with those in the “The Iron Dome for America” executive order would cost about $1.2 trillion to develop, deploy, and operate for 20 years.
SUMMARY:
Your Conversations With AI May Not be as Private as You Think: An Overview
The complete article “Your Conversations With AI May Not Be as Private as You Think,” published by Tech Xplore* in May 2026, reports on a study conducted by researchers at the IMDEA Networks Institute examining the privacy practices of leading generative AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Perplexity AI. The researchers found that some AI systems incorporate tracking technologies associated with major technology companies such as Meta, Google, and TikTok, raising concerns about the extent to which user interactions may be monitored or shared with third-party analytics and advertising ecosystems. The following is an overview of the article:
According to the article, the study revealed significant variation in how AI services manage user privacy. While some platforms appeared to limit external tracking mechanisms, others transmitted metadata and usage information that could potentially be used to profile users or monitor behavioral patterns. The researchers emphasized that the concern is not necessarily that full conversations are publicly exposed, but rather that background data collection practices may operate in ways users neither expect nor fully understand.
The article also highlights the growing tendency of users to discuss highly personal, financial, medical, professional, and legal matters with AI systems. In light of this trend, the researchers caution against assuming that conversations with AI platforms are protected by the same confidentiality standards that apply to communications with lawyers, physicians, therapists, or other privileged professionals.
From Bucket List to Agentic AI: Inside the April/May Issue of Experience Magazine
OVERVIEW:
The April/May 2026 issue of the American Bar Association Senior Lawyers Division’s Experience Magazine (Volume 36, Issue 3) centers on a unifying and reflective theme: the meaning of the “bucket list” at different stages of life and professional maturity. The issue combines personal essays, reflections on retirement and reinvention, practical professional guidance, and a timely discussion of artificial intelligence in legal practice.
A major theme running throughout the issue is that fulfillment in later life is not necessarily tied to grand adventures or dramatic achievements, but often to purpose, service, mentoring, and appreciation for experiences already gained. Several contributors challenge the traditional notion of a “bucket list” as merely a checklist of destinations or accomplishments. Instead, they encourage readers—particularly senior lawyers—to think about meaning, contribution, relationships, and continued intellectual engagement.
Estimating the Economic Effects of Federal Investment in Research and Development
FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE (CBO), MAY 1, 2026.
Presentation about work by Sheila Campbell, Jaeger Nelson, Eli Schrag, Heidi Williams, and Caleb Wroblewski at the NBER Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy Conference
SUMMARY: