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Harris County has big financial incentives to create new public defender

The Harris County Commissioner's Court next week (September 29) is scheduled to consider a proposal to create a public defender office, and in preparation the Texas Fair Defense Project yesterday issued a new "white paper" (pdf) detailing benefits the county could expect if it establishes one. Out of the 17 most populous urban areas in the country, only Harris County has no public defender and relies solely on appointed counsel.According to the report, Harris would likely see significant financial advantages by creating a public defender office. Once established, "these offices do not significantly raise indigent defense spending and in fact generate savings in other areas of the criminal justice system," particularly reducing jail expenses, which are a major concern for Harris...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on September 24, 2009 (boomark / email).