The Role of Indigent Defense for Defendants with Mental Health Disorders: Preliminary Results

• In Event: Legal Services for the Indigent – The Defense of Mentally Disordered Persons Accused of Crimes

Abstract

The prior presentation in this panel has shown the importance of these issues and the amazing paucity of empirical research on this topic. Our research focuses on defendants and defense attorneys in Bronx County (NY) and Monroe County (Rochester, NY). In the data reported here from Monroe County, a stratified sample of 100 defendants was interviewed at time of arraignment and as soon as possible after their final disposition. Their attorneys were interviewed at the same points in time. Descriptive data on the defendants, their expectations, their levels of satisfaction and their reasons for their satisfaction will be presented. Data on the attorney cross-perceptions of these issues as well as their general orientations towards indigent defendants with mental health disorders will be presented.

Authors

• Pamela Clark Robbins, Policy Research Associates, Inc.

• Henry J. Steadman, Policy Research Associates, Inc.