Today, Hunter spoke with Heather Rogers and Caitlin Becker of the Santa Cruz County Public Defenders. In 2020, the Sixth Amendment Center put together a report detailing the severe issues with how Santa Cruz County provided Public Defense. At the time, a law firm was working a flat rate fee contract to provide public defender services in the county. As is expected, that system was deeply flawed and couldn't meet the demands of the Sixth Amendment. Fast forward five years, Heather, Caitlin, and the team at the Santa Cruz County Public Defender has transformed the office into a comprehensive holistic defender program. How did that happen? What are the benefits of this model? All those questions and more on today's episode!

Guest

Heather Rogers, The Public Defender, Santa Cruz County, California

Caitlin Becker, Director of Holistic Defense, Santa Cruz County, California

Resources:

Read the 6AC Report Here

https://6ac.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/6AC_ca_santacruzcountyreport_2020.pdf

Contact Santa Cruz County Public Defenders Here

https://www.santacruzdefenders.us/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-rogers-3525b4242/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtvUi9TWRyNIOvEwgHN87KA

https://www.facebook.com/CruzDefenders#

https://www.instagram.com/cruzdefender/

https://x.com/cruzdefender

Contact Hunter Parnell:

[email protected]

Instagram

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

Twitter

@PDefenselessPod

www.publicdefenseless.com

Subscribe to the Patron

www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

Donate on PayPal

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ

Donate on Stripe

https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN

Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show!

https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home

Guest

Heather Rogers, The Public Defender, Santa Cruz County, California

Caitlin Becker, Director of Holistic Defense, Santa Cruz County, California

Resources:

Read the 6AC Report Here

https://6ac.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/6AC_ca_santacruzcountyreport_2020.pdf

Contact Santa Cruz County Public Defenders Here

https://www.santacruzdefenders.us/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-rogers-3525b4242/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtvUi9TWRyNIOvEwgHN87KA

https://www.facebook.com/CruzDefenders#

https://www.instagram.com/cruzdefender/

https://x.com/cruzdefender

Contact Hunter Parnell:

[email protected]

Instagram

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

Twitter

@PDefenselessPod

www.publicdefenseless.com

Subscribe to the Patron

www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

Donate on PayPal

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ

Donate on Stripe

https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN

Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show!

https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home