Court leaders want more funds to bolster public defender’s staff
Posted By Jim Hagerty On June 10, 2011 @ 1:37 pm In Happening Now | No Comments
By Jim Hagerty
Online Editor
It all comes down to staffing and money in terms of how to clear a backlog of cases and reduce the jail population inside the Winnebago County Justice Center.
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That sentiment was clearly relayed as law enforcement and court officials pleaded for help at the Thursday, June 9 meeting of the Winnebago County Board.
While the number of new inmates has decreased, the number of those awaiting trial continues to swell. That means there are many of the nearly 1,000 inmates not being pushed through the justice system fast enough.
On any given day, it’s not unusual to see one public defender dragging dozens of case files through the halls of the Justice Center and the Winnebago County Courthouse. What used to be a staff of more than 30 attorneys stands at 26, leaving only 19 to climb the mountain of cases related to the jail population.
Seventeenth Judicial Court Chief Judge Janet Holmgren, echoing Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato (D), said the cause is simple.
“Since 2007 you have cut court budgets by 28 percent,” Holmgren told the board. “That has a direct and immediate impact on our ability to push cases through the system.”
Bruscato has stated several times since taking office that the ability for cases to be closed swiftly is centers on a sufficient number of lawyers. With 75 percent of criminal defendants unable to hire private counsel, a nearly scuttled public defender’s office also sinks the prosecutor’s ship.
“When it’s all said and done it’s simply a manpower issue,” Bruscato said.
Far from concurring were county board officials, who said more money may not be necessary. To some, making ends meet with bolstered efficiency should be enough to quell the problem. If it’s not, an increase in funding will not come easy.
“I think there has to be (something) measurable there so we can see if we do increase the manpower, we are going to see something go down or come up or whatever,” Rick Pollack (R-13) said.
George Anne Duckett (D-12) also called for proof that more money will right the ship. Determining that need before the fact, Bruscato said outside the board room, presents a problem.
“What that exactly will be is impossible to quantify,” Bruscato said. “But, assuredly, it will reduce the number of cases.”
The matter will now head back to committee for further discussion.
Article printed from The Rock River Times: http://rockrivertimes.com
URL to article: http://rockrivertimes.com/2011/06/10/court-leaders-want-more-funds-to-bolster-public-defenders-staff/
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