"Where a white legal professional might see stats, I see people. Because, after all, the systemic issues that affect my clients have also affected me."
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Partners for Justice was the subject of a recent article in the New York Times about how Collaborative Defense teams across the country are transforming the criminal legal system and reframing conversations about public safety.
The story, written by reporter Issie Lapowsky, spotlights PFJ's incredible team in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and amplifies the transformative effect they are having on public safety in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Issie’s story also covers amazing new research by Dr. Paul Heaton—researcher at the University of Pennsylvania’s Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice. Dr. Heaton’s study found that PFJ’s Client Advocate model in Delco was associated with a statistically significant increase in non-conviction outcomes. You can learn more about the study here or watch the video.
The results, Dr. Heaton said, suggest a “promising path to making the benefits of holistic defense available to many more communities and clients.”
Public defenders have reach well beyond the courtroom—they can be generators of hope, empowerment, and opportunity. In Delaware County, that’s happening. Right. Now.
