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Criminal Defendants Shortchanged by Justice System that Favors Prosecutors
Since the landmark Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright in 1963, criminal defendants who face incarceration have been guaranteed representation by an attorney if they cannot afford one. Gideon spurred most states and the federal government to form public defenders’ offices, which have since been overwhelmed due to …
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More from this issue:
- Not So Securus
- Securus Faces Lawsuit Over Recorded Attorney Calls, by Alex Friedmann
- United Kingdom: Queen Elizabeth Unveils Judicial and Prison Reform Shakeup
- Popular New Snack Born Behind Bars
- HRDC Represents Former Illinois Prisoner in Wrongful Conviction Suit, by Derek Gilna
- Number of State Prisoners Age 55 and Over Increased 400% in 20 Years, by Derek Gilna
- CCA Annual Shareholder Meeting Met by Protestors
- Report Reveals “Guaranteed Minimums” Drive ICE Detention
- Illinois DOC Settles Lawsuit Over Mental Health Treatment , by Derek Gilna
- Tenth Circuit Finds Compelled, Incriminating Sex Offender Polygraphs Unconstitutional, by Christopher Zoukis
- A Deadly Dust is Plaguing Hawaii Prisoners in Arizona
- Prison Policy Initiative Shines Spotlight on Probation and Parole Data, by Derek Gilna
- Mother Jones Reporter Goes Undercover at CCA Prison in Louisiana, by Derek Gilna
- Sixth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Federal Prisoner’s Bivens Claim, Discusses Inmate Accident Compensation Act, by Derek Gilna
- $7,000 Settlement after Second Circuit Reverses Dismissal of New York Prisoner’s Suit , by Derek Gilna
- Virginia: Unproven Facts Used to Deny Parole Subject of Lawsuit, Settlement
- Iowa State Court Finds Prisoner Entitled to Counsel at Prison Classification Hearing, by Derek Gilna
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Habeas Relief in California Death Penalty Case, by Derek Gilna
- In-house Parole Costs New Mexico Over $10 Million Annually, by Matthew Clarke
- Report: How Private Prison Companies Cut Corners to Generate Profit, by Derek Gilna
- German Prisoners Form Union, Seek Minimum Wage and Pension, by Joe Watson
- Criminal Defendants Shortchanged by Justice System that Favors Prosecutors, by Derek Gilna
- Idaho DOC Can’t Stop Love; State Senator’s Ex-wife Weds Prisoner, by Mark Wilson
- Prison Tobacco Bans Reduce Smoking-related Deaths, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ninth Circuit Directs BOP to Reconsider Denial of Designation to State Prison for Service of Federal Sentence, by Derek Gilna
- Prisoners in Chinese Labor Camps Send Pleas for Help in Exported Products, by Joe Watson
- Prison Conferences to be Held in Ohio, California
- Prison Policy Initiative Report Says Money Bail System Keeps Poor in Jail, by Derek Gilna
- Texas Judge Indicted for Making Secret Deal with Red-light Camera Company
- Hawaii Prisoner Awarded $7.2 Million after Losing His Fingers and Feet, by Christopher Zoukis
- Los Angeles County Undersheriff Convicted on Federal Obstruction, Conspiracy Charges, by Christopher Zoukis
- Illinois DOC to Pay Millions in Utility Arrearages
- Hawaii Prison Relocation Project Fails to Skirt Environmental Review, by Panagioti Tsolkas
- Restraint Chair Deaths, Abuses Prompt Questions, Criticism and Lawsuits, by Joe Watson
- Will Ohio’s Prison Watchdog Agency be Silenced?
- New Jersey Prison Phone Class-action Suit Against Global Tel*Link Continues, by Derek Gilna
- Advocates Want Private Prisons Subject to Open Records Laws , by Joe Watson
- New York Federal Judge Challenges Collateral Consequences
- The Mirage of Justice
- Seventh Circuit Reverses Denial of Prisoner’s Claim for Failure to Detach Portion of Administrative Form, by Derek Gilna
- California: Ninth Circuit Reverses Finding that Props 9 and 89 are Unconstitutional, by Derek Gilna
- Oklahoma Jail Detainee Handcuffed, Pepper-sprayed and Choked to Death
- Cell Workout, by L.J. Flanders (LC Books, 2015), by David Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- News in Brief
More from Derek Gilna:
- Federal Judge in Louisiana Issues Sweeping Opinion Finding Numerous Eighth Amendment, ADA and RA Violations at Angola, April 1, 2022
- Human Rights Defense Center Prevails in Censorship Lawsuit Against Napa County Jail, California, Sept. 1, 2021
- California State Auditor’s Report Faults Counties for Waste and Poor Oversight of State Funds Used in “Public Safety Realignment”, Sept. 1, 2021
- The Fight Over Cellphones in Prisons Rages On, Sept. 1, 2021
- District Court Extends Armstrong Order to Five Additional California Prisons, Sept. 1, 2021
- HRDC Settles Censorship Lawsuit with Johnson County, Kansas Jail for $50,000 and Policy Changes, Aug. 1, 2021
- Virginia Prosecutors to Dismiss 400 Drug Convictions Tied to Disgraced Cop, July 15, 2021
- Discredited New York Police Detective’s False Testimony Causes the Dismissal of Close to 100 Drug Convictions, June 15, 2021
- D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences Firearms Examination Unit Under Fire, April 15, 2021
- Mississippi Joins Illinois and Few Other States Prioritizing Vaccination of State Prisoners to Slow Spread of COVID-19, April 1, 2021
More from these topics:
- Idaho Supreme Court Holds Indigent Parents Have Constitutional Right to Counsel at Public Expense, July 1, 2026. Court Access, Appeals/Appellate Jurisdiction, Constitutional Challenges/Law, Counsel - Right to, Civil Rights Actions or Offenses/Bivens Actions.
- California Supreme Court Limits Money Bail for Nonviolent Charges, July 1, 2026. Conditions of Confinement, Sentencing, Due Process, Constitutional Challenges/Law, Pretrial Detention and Detainees.
- California Appeals Court Holds Defendant Cannot Be Penalized for Failing to Appear at Sentencing When He Was Being Held in Another County’s Jail on Preexisting Charges, July 1, 2026. Disciplinary Hearings, Due Process, Procedural Default/Error, Evidence - Admissibility, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
- Missouri Bill Increases Mandatory Minimums, Expands Prosecutors’ Role in Juvenile Court, July 1, 2026. Cost of Prison Systems, Prosecutors, State Legislation, Juvenile Offenses/Offenders, Mandatory Minimum Sentence.
- Eighth Circuit Revives Prisoner Lawsuit over Conditions of Confinement, July 1, 2026. Conditions of Confinement, Due Process, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Prisoners' Rights, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- Retroactive Guideline Amendments: The Narrow Path to a Federal Sentence Reduction, July 1, 2026. Appointment of Counsel, Career Offenders, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2), Guideline Amendment/Variances and Retroactivity.
- Louisiana Supreme Court Declares Unconstitutional Statute Stripping Courts of Authority to Order Payment of Indigent Defense Expert Funds, Holding the Law Infringes on Judiciary’s Constitutionally Granted Jurisdiction Over Felony Cases, July 1, 2026. Indigent Defense, Constitution, state, Discretionary/Inherent Powers, Indigent Defendants - Fees and Expenses, Authority and Jurisdiction.
- Wisconsin Governor Issues Executive Order to Restore Commutations, June 1, 2026. Prison Reform, Criminal justice system reform, Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Pardons/Clemency, Reduction of Prison Population.
- Federal Court Grants HRDC Preliminary Injunction Against Mail Censorship at New Mexico Jail, May 1, 2026. Injunctions, Publications/Books, Due Process, Censorship, HRDC Litigation.
- HRDC Sues Colorado Jail for Prohibiting Dozens of Magazines and Books, May 1, 2026. Publications/Books, Due Process, Censorship, Constitution, state, HRDC Litigation.