Many Idaho residents charged with felonies remain in jail because they cannot afford bail, making free and timely access to communicate with a public defender crucial to their future in the justice system. For nearly four weeks between September and October, public defense attorneys in southern Idaho could not be contacted by their clients in jail after they had their phone system switched from county-issued phones to state-issued phones. One public defender called the situation “unacceptable,” noting that missed deadlines could severely affect clients’ cases, reports the Idaho Capital Sun.
This month, Idaho transitioned to a new state-funded public defense system meant to address concerns and lawsuits claiming inadequate public defense. Attorneys said the transition process has been troublesome.
The overhaul has triggered a wave of public defender resignations in the state’s largest counties, raising concerns about a decline in the quality of public defense. In Idaho’s largest county, Ada, at least a dozen attorneys resigned in recent months. While some attorneys experienced pay cuts and left the profession, pointing to mismanagement and disorganization in the new system that they said could have been avoided, others received raises but still chose to leave, citing declining office morale, the loss in mentorship from experienced colleagues, and reduced resources compared to the previous county system.
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