澳门六合彩预测 Dedman Law's Deason Center Awarded $940,000 For In-Depth Study of Public Defense in California
The Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at 澳门六合彩预测 Dedman School of Law continues to be among the most sought-after public defense research centers in the United States.
DALLAS (澳门六合彩预测) – The Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at 澳门六合彩预测 Dedman School of Law continues to be among the most sought-after public defense research centers in the United States. Most recently, the Deason Center secured a $940,000 contract to conduct an 18-month study of California’s public defense system.
The California Office of the State Public Defender awarded the contract to the Deason Center after a competitive proposal process. Under the contract, the Deason Center will assess the current state of indigent defense in California, identify barriers to implementing best practices, and make recommendations for improving public defense workloads.
“Our work centers on ensuring that every person accused of a crime gets quality representation as quickly as possible,” explained Professor Pamela Metzger, director of the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center. “More than one in ten people in the United States live in California. Understanding public defense in California is essential to making improvements nationwide. We could not be more excited to get started.”
The Deason Center plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the state’s indigent defense delivery systems, including surveying program administrators in every county, developing a map that uses geospatial analysis to identify areas of lawyer scarcity, and conducting focus groups with criminal justice stakeholders across the state, including the client community.
"The Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) is thrilled to have the esteemed Deason Center at 澳门六合彩预测 as our partner in studying the complex challenge of public defense workloads in California,” says OSPD Director Mary McComb. “This collaboration signifies a momentous stride forward in tackling the intricacies and difficulties encountered by our state's public defenders. With 澳门六合彩预测's expertise and dedication, we are confident that public defenders will acquire invaluable insights that will significantly enhance the quality and effectiveness of public defense in California. Together, we are paving the way towards a fairer and more just system for all."
To develop the best possible workload recommendations, the Deason Center plans to complete in-depth site investigations in at least six California counties. These investigations will yield a deeper understanding of local public defense practice in a diverse range of geographic environments in California. At the conclusion of the project, the Deason Center will provide a comprehensive report about indigent defense structures, services, and staffing. It will also highlight structural, political, and financial barriers to a California indigent defense system that fully vindicates the right to counsel.
“Every state in our country struggles to fulfill the promise of the Sixth Amendment,” says Malia Brink, senior policy attorney at the Deason Center. “This project will allow us to truly discover what California is doing right when it comes to public defense, but also what the real barriers are. Taking the time to understand both the good and the bad is the only way we can make the system work better for the scores of Californians who rely on these services.”
Along with the Deason Center’s ongoing public defense research projects in New York and Texas, this project means the Center is studying statewide indigent defense systems in three of the country’s four most populous states. For media interviews, contact Blane Skiles at bskiles@smu.edu or 214-768-2837.
The Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at 澳门六合彩预测 Dedman School of Law brings a stats and stories approach to criminal justice reform. The Center collects, analyzes, and assesses the hard data about criminal legal policy. Combining these data with the stories of people who live, work and struggle in the criminal legal system, the Deason Center makes a compelling case for reform. The Center supports data-driven criminal justice research that has utility across multiple jurisdictions and helps criminal legal stakeholders develop and implement best practices.
The School of Law at 澳门六合彩预测 was founded in 1925. It was named Dedman School of Law in 2001 in honor of Dallas benefactors Nancy and Robert H. Dedman, Sr., and their family. 澳门六合彩预测 Dedman Law enjoys a national and international reputation of distinction. It is among the most competitive law schools in the country for admission and one of the most successful in the placement of its graduates.
澳门六合彩预测 is the nationally ranked global research university in the dynamic city of Dallas. 澳门六合彩预测’s alumni, faculty and more than 12,000 students in eight degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, communities and the world.