NCJ Number
13949
Date Published
1974
Length
66 pages
Annotation
REPORT ON STAFF VISITS TO NINE STATES THAT PROVIDED COUNSEL TO INDIGENTS IN MISDEMEANOR CASES PRIOR TO THE SUPREME COURT'S ARGERSINGER V. HAMLIN DECISION.
Abstract
THESE SITE VISITS WERE MADE BETWEEN JANUARY AND APRIL 1973, AND THEIR MAIN PURPOSE WAS TO EXAMINE THE STRUCTURES AND PROCEDURES FOR PROVIDING INDIGENT DEFENSE SERVICES IN THESE NINE STATES. ALTHOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN THESE NINE STATES MAY HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE VISITS, THEIR VALUE AS ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE SITUATIONS ARE STILL VALUABLE. THE REPORT CONTAINS BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND ASSIGNED COUNSEL SYSTEMS THAT WERE FOUND BY RESEARCHERS IN CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, PENNSYLVANIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WYOMING. THESE DESCRIPTIONS INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE DEFENDER SYSTEM, THE PROCEDURES USED TO PROVIDE INDIGENT DEFENSE SERVICES, THE TYPES OF SERVICES PROVIDED, AND THE BUDGETS UNDER WHICH THESE SYSTEMS OPERATE. IT WAS ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION GATHERED IN THESE NINE STATES THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE PRESCRIPTIVE PROGRAM PACKAGE WERE DEVELOPED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE SECTIONS ARE NOT AND WERE NOT INTENDED TO BE COMPLETE DETAILED HISTORIES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF INDIGENT DEFENSE SERVICES IN THESE STATES. RATHER, AN EFFORT WAS MADE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE SYSTEMS IN USE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THESE SYSTEMS IN THE PRESCRIPTIVE PROGRAM PACKAGE, NCJ-13948, ALONG WITH GENERAL INFORMATION ON VARIOUS TYPES OF DEFENSE SERVICES. OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS ARE NCJ-13950 AND 13951. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)