SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Public Defender’s Office is getting a boost in staff.
This week, county commissioners signed off on shifting funds to allow the office to hire for seven new positions.
The office says it could create a quicker path to resolving cases while providing resources to the accused and closure to any victims and their families.
Working with the justice system can be a frustrating process at times.
Laquita Garcia is the statewide policy coordinator for the Texas Organizing Project and says she was once a victim of crime.
“We want immediate responses to being victims of crime, and I completely sympathize with that. But through that immediate response, let’s understand what got that person into the situation they’re in,” Garcia said.
Public defenders can be seen doing virtual visits with their clients, who can’t afford an attorney.
Chief Public Defender Michael Young understands some may have negative thoughts towards indigent clients.
“I think citizens generally look at indigent defense as, well, it’s a waste of money. Why are we defending these people? But you really have to look at the number of people who are actually innocent in our system [which] is much higher than anyone would expect,” Young said.
Defendants that public defenders represent are charged with any crime from misdemeanors to felonies.
Young says his office has had positive results in getting the best resolution for their clients.
“Our current felony system in our office is getting about 60% of the cases dismissed. Now, we do that by getting our clients into treatment, we address their issues,” Young said.
Their office is now able to bring on five assistant public defenders and two office assistants after Bexar County commissioners approved a budget transfer totaling $780,760 to fund the positions.
According to Young, the move is budget-neutral and would move money that would be spent on court appointed attorneys instead.
“That [court appointed] attorney usually has their own private practice, so they don’t really specialize in criminal law and they’re not 100% dedicated to being here,” he said.
“These [public defense] attorneys will be dedicated to one court, one judge, and they will be in there all day every day so they won’t have to ask for a reset. We’re going to be prepared on every case that’s going to bring quicker resolutions,” Young said.
Garcia says those resolutions can help break the cycle of crime and the heartache and problems that come with it.
“We need to understand how an individual got where they are, that caused them to do the type of things they’re doing and determine what resources can we put in place to address that cause so that we have less and less victims of crime and more rehabilitative processes that keep our community safe,” Garcia said.
Young says the positions will be ready for recruitment in two to three weeks.
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