Title
Receive a Benchmark Caseload/Workload Analysis of the Public Defender.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors' Budget Committee receive a Benchmark Caseload/Workload Analysis submitted by the Monterey County Office of the Public Defender.
SUMMARY:
The Board of Supervisors requested that a study be completed comparing the Caseload/Workload of the Monterey County Public Defender's Office with that of other similarly situated California Benchmark County Public Defender Offices. This required the use of a number of official and verifiable sources. It also called for the integration of these sources to provide accurate annual comparisons.
For professional standards, the sources included:
* The Federal and State Constitutions,
* The California Rules of Professional Conduct
* The State Bar of California
* The California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice
* The National Center for State Courts
* The American Bar Association
* The American Council of Chief Defenders
* The National Legal Aid and Defenders Association
* The National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice
For caseload data, the sources included:
* The Judicial Council of California Statewide Caseload Trends
* The Published Annual Budgets for the counties of Marin, Monterey, Napa, Placer, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Tulare, and Ventura.
All original source materials are included for verification. Comparative charts were prepared and included to present a wide range of data. Source materials are identified. Findings and Recommendations are provided for consideration. A non-exhaustive list of multiple alternative solutions for resource allocation is also provided.
DISCUSSION:
Each County is constitutionally obligated to provide legal counsel for adult persons accused of felony or misdemeanor violations of law, juveniles accused of criminal or status offense...
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