Post by thinkinkmesa on Aug 2, 2008 16:42:08 GMT -5
Subject: OJPC on Channel 12 re: reforming local public defense
Dear All:
Please watch this Sunday morning at 11AM as OJPC staff attorney Angelina
Jackson appears on Channel 12 Newsmakers with Dan Hurley. She will be
discussing the recent study by the National Legal Aid and Defender
Association (NLADA), entitled Taking Gideon's Pulse: An Assessment of
the Right to Counsel in Hamilton County, Ohio.
The study found that in Hamilton County, "there is little doubt that
poor people charged with crimes facing a potential loss of liberty are
not afforded the constitutional protections demanded by the United
States Constitution. " On average, staff attorneys in office of the
Hamilton County Public Defenders can spend only 1 hour and 42 minutes
per misdemeanor case. This includes investigation, communication with
clients, legal research, drafting motions, witness preparation and
trial representation . With so little time to prepare a defense, often
the only viable option for the client is to plead guilty - even if
innocent of the charge.
This is an important problem that affects us all. Hundreds of
thousands of taxpayer dollars are wasted each year by incarcerating
individuals who have receive subpar representation. OJPC is advocating
numerous reforms to remedy this problem, including implementing
standards of practice for public defenders to follow in defending their
cases, developing public defender training programs, reducing caseloads
to manageable levels, and depoliticizing the system so that the Public
Defender's Office can advocate aggressively for its clients without fear
of political repercussions. All of these reforms are based on American
Bar Association principles for improving indigent defense
representation.
The attached articles from The Cincinnati Enquirer and CityBeat give
further information on the report and OJPC's involvement. If you have
any questions, please call Angelina Jackson: 513.421.1108 ex.19.
Ohio Justice & Policy Center
Development Coordinator
215 E. 9th St., Suite 601
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513.421.1108 ex. 15
513.562.3200 (fax)
Ohio Justice & Policy Center
Development Coordinator
215 E. 9th St., Suite 601
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513.421.1108 ex. 15
513.562.3200 (fax)