Neighborhood Defenders Program: An Evaluation of Maryland’s Holistic Representation Program

Abstract

This article provides insights and lessons learned from the Neighborhood Defenders Program (NDP) established by the Maryland Office of the Public Defender in 2006. The NDP is a holistic representation model that uses interdisciplinary teams of lawyers, social workers, law clerks, support staff, and college interns to provide legal representation while assisting clients with social and economic concerns such as reentry, housing, employment, immigration, mental health, and education. Clients are eligible for social service assistance from the NDP indefinitely, even after their legal case has been resolved. First, the authors provide an overview of holistic criminal defense and a description of the NDP. This is followed by a brief description of evaluation methods and a report of the main findings, which are based on interviews, focus groups, and observations with clients, attorneys, social workers, support staff, and families or guardians of clients. Last, the authors provide concluding thoughts and recommendations based on these findings that may help others who seek to establish or improve existing holistic criminal defense practices. It is the authors’ goal to contribute to dialogue around holistic criminal defense programs to maximize benefits to clients and to avoid or mitigate any harm.