NCJ Number
144175
Date Published
1993
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This analysis of the status of Federal defender services concludes that their funding difficulties must be resolved if our criminal justice system is to function as intended, because its functioning requires both prosecutors and defense attorneys to perform effectively.
Abstract
Provisions for Federal defender services were set forth in the Criminal Justice Act of 1964. However, compensation for attorneys has been and remains substantially below prevailing market rates. In addition, the increase in the number of multiple defendant prosecutions and the complexity of these cases have greatly increased the demand for defender services and the cost per representation. Crime legislation enacted over the past several years has also had a substantial impact on the cost of providing defense services. Death penalty litigation is also complex and costly. The cost of expert witnesses is another important issue. In the past two fiscal years, payments to panel attorneys have been suspended due to funding limitations, undermining the confidence of panel attorneys in the government's commitment to this program. These funding issues must be addressed for the criminal justice system to function effectively and to avoid postponing trials or dismissing charges against defendants who otherwise would be deprived of their right to the effective assistance of counsel. Figure