Public Defenders as Effective as Private Attorneys
New research suggests that, in terms of influencing key judicial decisions, public defenders are as effective as their private counterparts. Full Story »
Posted by J Sinclaire - via Miller-McCuneReview
I like the magazine Miller McCune a lot. Its articles are thoughtful and well-researched, and one reason I read the article was based on where it was published. The article does not disappoint. It is of the "man bites dog" variety, where an unexpected result is presented, based on the results of a study of the effectiveness of public defenders in the Chicago area. Two items that stick out for me are: (1) One can infer that race is an important determination in whether or not bond is granted (2) public defenders are only 1/2 as successful as private attorneys in successfully plea bargaining defendants who aren't white. Since most charges are plea bargained and rarely brought to trial, this brings the entire argument into question.
