NLADA: Defender Legal Services - Technical Assistance

National Legal Aid & Defender Association

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Criminal Practice Areas

Drug Courts

Defenders in Drug Courts. (msword, 150 Kb) A special issue of Indigent Defense containing detailed discussions of planning, practical and ethical issues for defenders in drug courts.

Forensics

Forensic science resources. A nationwide web for all your forensic needs.

Mitigation Specialists

Why Capital Cases Require Mitigation Specialists. (msword, 53 Kb)

Read NLADA affidavit (msword, 47 Kb) . Request executed copy of this affidavit by E-mail.

Order NLADA's Mitigation Directory, 2003 A National Compilation of Death Penalty Mitigation Specialists - $10 members, $15 non-members.

Performance Guidelines for Criminal Defense Representation (1995): An indispensable guide to the duties of defenders at every stage of a criminal proceeding, useful as an educational, supervisory, policy or political tool. The 1997 edition includes black letter standards, extensive commentary, citations to related standards, and detailed footnotes. (140 pages).

Read Making Practical Use of NLADA Performance Guidelines for Criminal Defense Representation (msword, 43 Kb) , an article from Indigent Defense by New Mexico Public Defender Phyllis Subin.

Sentencing

Alternative sentencing, including the National Association of Sentencing Advocates and The Sentencing Project.

Management/Resources

Contracting; implementation of standards

Model Contract for Public Defense Services (msword, 300 Kb) The ultimate antidote to low-bid contracting, which exalt cost over performance requirements and quality of representation. Implements NLADA and ABA standards on contracting. In Word format for ease of customizing by state and local jurisdictions. Supported by a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice.

Cost of public defender agency versus private assigned counsel

FY02 North Carolina Public Defender and Private Assigned Counsel Cost Analysis -- Report by the state's Administrative Office of the Courts finding that public defense offices are able to save the state millions of dollars over the cost of private assigned counsel (at the rate of $65/hour). Caveat: cost and efficiency are compared, but no assessment of quality was tried.

Grants

Check out the BJA Web site for the official program guidelines and list of State Administering Agencies and contact information.

"NLADA reports on how state and local indigient defense programs are faring in obtaining access to Byrne formula grants and other federal grant programs."

Indigent Defense Systems

Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee on Indigent Defense Services (1997):
Final Report of the National Advisory Committee on Indigent Defense Services convened by NLADA with BJA support. Discusses five critical areas to addressing the crisis in indigent defense: training, standards, program audits and technical assistance, utilization of social services and other interdisciplinary resources, and coalition building, such as through adjudication partnerships (9 pages).

How indigent defense is provided nationwide - Bureau of Justice Statistics reports.

Technology

A Defender Guidebook to Technology Integration in Criminal Justice Information Systems (pdf, 11 Mb) The benefits and challenges of integrating defender computer systems with prosecution, courts and other agencies, with examples and materials (117 pages). NOTE: This is a very large file and may open very slowly; patience is a virture.

Documents linked from this page are in the PDF format and require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view or print them. Click to download the Acrobat Reader software.


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