Does Indiana Have A Weak Public Defender System?

July 13, 2020

A new report shows that public defenders in Indiana are underpaid, and that there's a pay disparity between public defenders and prosecutors in counties across the state. Advocates who want to address the issue say a weak public defender system has wide-ranging consequences, especially for low-income Hoosiers, and that it contributes to over-incarceration.

We talk to some of the people behind the report about what causes the lower pay, what impact it has on public defenders and the citizens who need them, and what could be done to change things.

Produced by Drew Daudelin.

Guests:

Andrew Cullen
Public Policy & Communications Specialist, Indiana Public Defender Commission

Derrick Mason
Senior Staff Attorney, Indiana Public Defender Commission

Torrin Liddell
Data & Statistics Analyst, Indiana Public Defender Commission