Improving the Data Capacity of Rural Public Defense Systems: A Case Study

• In Event: Data in Indigent Defense: Expanding Data Capacity in Public Defense

Abstract

In small and rural jurisdictions across the country, counties are often tasked with administering public defense contracts with very limited data. County decisions are sometimes made without the most basic information on caseloads or the number of attorneys needed to represent indigent clients within a jurisdiction. Defense systems in rural jurisdictions, particularly panel and contract systems, face enormous data gaps and are often overlooked in the national conversation. This study examines three rural jurisdictions in California to highlight challenges and potential solutions that can be undertaken to make improvements for more robust data capacity. More specifically, we will discuss the process of adapting national or state guidelines on public defense data to match the realities of on the ground practice in these jurisdictions to distill lessons learned for the broader field.

Authors

• Viet Nguyen, Center for Justice Innovation

• Jesslyn Mitchell, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform