Developing a National Message for Indigent Defense:Analysis of National Survey

Abstract

The current system of providing counsel to individuals who are accused of a crime and cannot afford representation is in a weakened state. In this context, the Open Society Institute (OSI) and the National Legal Aid andDefender Association (NLADA) asked Belden Russonello & Stewart (BRS) toinvestigate public opinions about due process and the role of lawyers who representindigent criminal defendants. The project’s goal is to develop a national message foreducating the public about the importance of indigent defense in the criminal justicesystem. The long-term goal is to build greater public commitment to provide sufficientresources for public defenders and court-appointed lawyers.