"Inflicting the full cuts would force an overloaded, understaffed DA's Office to decline prosecution for thousands of crimes. It would push public defender caseloads to unacceptably high levels."
"Misdemeanors represent more than half of the approximately 40,000 cases the DA's Office reviews each year. If these cuts go through, the office will no longer have the staff to be able to prosecute all misdemeanors."
"The advice public defenders provide to poor, immigrant clients ensures that a minor, nonviolent charge does not result in deportation. Public defenders protect the gravely disabled who are being conserved and they give voice to the innocent."
Santa Clara County's proposed budget cuts of $18.5 million for the District Attorney's Office and $4.5 million for the Public Defender's Office could severely damage the criminal justice system. These cuts would lead to the DA's Office declining prosecution for thousands of crimes and overwhelming public defenders with excessive caseloads. The community would suffer as misdemeanors, including serious offenses, may go unprosecuted. Public defenders play a crucial role in protecting vulnerable clients, and these cuts would undermine their ability to provide essential legal representation.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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