21st Century Criminal Defense Practice: An Examination of the Implementation of a Holistic Defense in Wayne County, Michigan

• In Event: Data in Indigent Defense: Support Staff and Holistic Defense

Abstract

Although there is strong support in the public defense field extolling the value of holistic defense practices, there is limited research on how such models are implemented or their impact. In 2019, Wayne County, MI contracted with Neighborhood Defender Services of Detroit (NDS Detroit) to launch a holistic public defense office that would take a quarter of all felony cases. At approximately the same time, Wayne County’s Indigent Defense Services Department (IDSD) was making strides to improve the quality of representation provided by attorneys on the managed assigned counsel roster including expanded access to investigators and social workers. This evaluation funded by the National Institute of Justice will document the implementation of the NDS Detroit model against the backdrop of broader public defense reforms in Michigan to identify the potential for holistic defense practices to be translated to managed assigned counsel systems. We will present findings from interviews with system actors and former clients to address four key questions: (1) Do holistic defense practices enhance attorney-client relationships? (2) Do they improve access to services and noncriminal case outcomes? (3) Do they lead to better case outcomes and reduced future system involvement? (4) What lessons can be applied to public defense offices and managed assigned counsel systems?

Authors

• Sruthi Naraharisetti, Center for Justice Innovation

• Viet Nguyen, Center for Justice Innovation

• Jennifer A. Tallon, Center for Justice Innovation