Increase funding to the public defender's office

Justice is what you can afford in Champaign County. Many have to rely on a Public Defender's office which is drastically overworked and underfunded.

We are petitioning the County Board to hire more Public Defenders so that their case load does not exceed American Bar Assocation standards and to hire investigators to support the Public Defenders.

The Public Defender's office handles three times the recommended case load and receives half the funding of the State's Attorney's office. The State's Attorney has $1.9 million and 38 staff plus 400+ investigators through the police departments. The Public Defender has $878,000, 16 staff, and zero investigators. Approximately 75% of criminal cases are represented by a Public Defender.

The 6 felony public defenders handled 2615 cases for 2004 - each attorney averaging 435 cases a year. American Bar Association standards are 150 cases per attorney per year.

It is no wonder then that of the 2381 felony cases in 2004, only 51 went to jury and only 8 were won.

Articles:

County Courts Hoping Help is on the Way - NG - 3.12.06



Priorities for Justice About Us Meetings are every Saturday at 4 PM in the Independent Media Center in the downtown Urbana post office building.		Increase funding to the public defender's office Justice is what you can afford in Champaign County. Many have to rely on a Public Defender's office which is drastically overworked and underfunded. We are petitioning the County Board to hire more Public Defenders so that their case load does not exceed American Bar Assocation standards and to hire investigators to support the Public Defenders. The Public Defender's office handles three times the recommended case load and receives half the funding of the State's Attorney's office. The State's Attorney has $1.9 million and 38 staff plus 400+ investigators through the police departments. The Public Defender has $878,000, 16 staff, and zero investigators. Approximately 75% of criminal cases are represented by a Public Defender. The 6 felony public defenders handled 2615 cases for 2004 - each attorney averaging 435 cases a year. American Bar Association standards are 150 cases per attorney per year. It is no wonder then that of the 2381 felony cases in 2004, only 51 went to jury and only 8 were won. Articles: County Courts Hoping Help is on the Way - NG - 3.12.06