NCJ Number
143392
Date Published
1978
Length
183 pages
Annotation
To examine the attitudes and perceptions of defendants toward the criminal justice system, researchers interviewed 812 males charged with felonies in Baltimore, Phoenix, and Detroit; follow-up interviews were held with 628 of the offenders upon completion of the court process.
Abstract
The results showed that defendants do not trust public defenders as much as private defense attorneys, that they view judges favorably and prosecutors unfavorably, and that time spent with the defendant and mode of disposition influence the defendant's assessment of the attorney's performance. The study notes that nearly 30 percent of respondents who were represented by public defenders reported spending 10 minutes or less with their attorneys; only 14 percent spent more than three hours with their attorneys. These clients did not feel adequately represented and 49 percent thought their attorney "was on the side of the state." The relationship between defendant and public defender is seen as crucial to understanding and dealing with defendant perspectives toward criminal courts. Most defendants come to such relationships distrusting the attorney; this distrust may be overcome if attorneys make it clear they are working in their clients' best interests. 2 appendixes