Public Defenders and the American Justice System

the long version

"Through a profile of a reform-minded public defender's office in Newark, NJ, one of the nation's most crime-ridden smaller cities, Wice examines the public defender system and shows how even the smallest reforms, especially those that address quality of life and work for public defenders, can make a big difference. Comparing the smaller defender's office to larger ones in such cities as New York and Chicago, which have not instituted significant or wide-scale reforms, the author illustrates the successes that can be found when change is thoroughly implemented. Flaws remain, but with improved services and work environments, this important component of the overburdened criminal justice system can function more effectively, creating a system that benefits lawyers, defendants, and the community alike."--BOOK JACKET.