A free, publicly accessible resource bank that provides materials and strategies to public defenders for incorporating Collaborative Defense into their practice. PFJ aims to widely disseminate knowledge and awareness of the benefits of Collaborative Defense and its capacity to enhance client experience and case outcomes.
Based on our experience working with public defender offices and systems, we have identified several key tools that aid successful adoption of Collaborative Defense. This toolkit contains action-oriented resources that guide defense providers’ implementation of this collaborative model. Integrating each component of the model can be intensive, but we believe that with the guidance and support of these tools defense providers can take the first steps towards revolutionizing their practice, contributing to the transformation of public defense nationwide.
The tools retain a bifurcated function: to help defenders rapidly identify their clients’ greatest needs as well as gaps in their office’s service delivery, and to assist in connecting clients to necessary services and legal expertise. Our goal is to provide a bank of resources that defense providers could easily access, whether that be to retrieve a singular document or dive deep into the entire model.
We have divided these resources within the six core elements of Collaborative Defense. You can filter the tools by clicking on the tenet that you wish to explore. Some tools fall into multiple categories and will appear under more than one tenet. These materials can also be sorted by the filters on the left-hand side of the landing page.
Each pinned title contains a link to the overview of that specific tool, explaining the purpose and utility of the resource you have selected. All materials contain a cover page that expands on the goal and value of each tool. Some also contain instruction manuals or addenda on how to adapt and implement the tool. To more closely examine the tool, click on the embedded link which will automatically download the resource. All tools, when downloaded, can be customized and we encourage users to edit them to best fit your office’s needs and tailor to your clientele.
As we have learned from our partners across the country, every public defense office has distinct practices and needs. The toolkit design is intentionally adjustable and flexible, ensuring that each resource can be utilized by all defense providers, regardless of geographic location, size or structure. Each tool leaves ample space for specialization to each jurisdiction's needs and resource landscapes through the use of editable formats. For example, the title of support staff varies across offices and yours may not match the template job description. Once a tool is downloaded, users can alter words, format, and incorporate specific language that reflects their unique practice.
This project would not have been possible without the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Bar Endowment. These foundations' shared commitment in our vision of Collaborative Defense Model enabled Partners for Justice to broaden the reach of this innovative framework and facilitate the provision of critical resources for Public Defense offices across the country. Our gratitude goes out to their willingness to amplify the positive impact that Defenders can have on their indigent clients and thereby bettering the outcomes and lives of those impacted by the criminal legal system.
