Housing and Development Newsletter
The Public Defender’s Office has been focusing on the issue of holistic defense to reduce jail commitments and recidivism.
“It is incredibly groundbreaking that rather than focusing on the facts of each case, the Public Defender’s Office looks at the actions and the conditions in the individuals’ lives to see what led them to get to where they are,” Melekian said. “It’s inspiring to see the work that the District Attorney and the Public Defender have done to look at the individual cases to determine actions other than just putting them in jail.”