June 2, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Defense Attorneys For Juvenile Offenders Failing To Connect With Social Services

Attorney HammerDefense attorneys paid to represent juvenile offenders in Los Angeles County are failing to connect them to social services that could help turn their lives around, according to a long-awaited report made public today.

Public defenders are better at linking youth to services than outside or “panel” attorneys assigned to about one-quarter of county cases. But overall, the system has failed to evolve to meet modern expectations of juvenile justice, concluded the report by the Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy at UC Berkeley School of Law.

Panel lawyers connect just one in 100 youths they represent to a social worker after their case is resolved, according to the researchers. Public defenders make that link for about one-third of their clients.

Defense attorneys working on behalf of juvenile offenders “must advocate for their clients’ broader ‘care, treatment and guidance’ both before and after disposition of the criminal charges,” according to the report.

Making sure clients receive mental health, substance abuse, educational and developmental evaluations and treatment is “both ethically and legally required,” researchers said, adding that it is also “smart.” Youth receiving those kind of “wraparound” services are better able to break free of the cycle of crime and incarceration.

Part of the problem is that outside attorneys are paid a flat, one-time fee per case, based on a compensation system designed in the 1990s.

That system has been widely criticized. For at least a decade, the State Bar has said flat-fee contracts should not be used, according to county Chief Executive Officer Sachi Hamai.

UC Berkeley researchers found that Los Angeles County is the only county in the state that uses flat-fee contracts, doesn’t pay for investigators to assist panel attorneys and has no central mechanism to oversee the quality of outside representation.

Though outside attorneys handle a higher proportion of juveniles who end up being tried as adults, they spend, on average, about half as much time defending their clients. They filed fewer motions, consulted fewer experts and provided less documentation to support clients than public defenders.

“The quality of a defendant’s representation should not be a function of random attorney assignment,” the report stated.

The Board of Supervisors called for the report more than two years ago.

Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas previewed a motion, co-authored by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, aimed at improving legal representation for indigent juvenile clients.

The motion, which Ridley-Thomas said addresses “an area that needs our urgent attention,” is expected to be heard next week.

Related Posts

Alpine Floor & Home: A Legacy of Quality Since 1968

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Founded in 1968 with a single location, Alpine Floor & Home began as a humble family business with a clear...

Chin Chin to Close West Hollywood Location After 45 Years of Service

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Iconic Sunset Plaza Restaurant Announces Final Day of Operations Chin Chin, the iconic Chinese eatery that has been a fixture...

LACMA’s $700M David Geffen Galleries to Open in 2026

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

New Structure Will Replace Original Midcentury Buildings Construction crews are entering the final stretch on the David Geffen Galleries, a...

Criterion Mobile Closet Arrives in L.A. for Two-Day Stop at Santa Monica’s Aero Theatre

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

More Than 1,000 Classic Titles June 6–7 During American Cinematheque’s Bleak Week  Following its successful appearances at SXSW and Vidiots...

Lane Closures Return to PCH in Malibu for Fire Recovery and Emergency Repairs

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Traffic Will Be Impacted as Caltrans and the USACE Conduct Cleanup  The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced updated...

Police Non-Emergency Line Temporarily Down Due to Service Outage in Culver City

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Emergency 9-1-1 Services Remain Active; Alternate Numbers are Available  The Culver City Police Department has announced a temporary outage affecting...

Culver City to Frame Iconic Tree with Landmark Sculpture by Charles Gaines

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Acclaimed Conceptual Artist’s Public Artwork Enters Final Phase Culver City is moving forward with the final phase of an ambitious...

Defensible Space, Defined: How A Plus Tree Protects Communities from Wildfire

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

In the wildfire-prone landscapes of the Western United States, safeguarding homes and communities requires proactive measures. A Plus Tree, a...

WeHo Pride Weekend Begins and 2025 Icons Announced: Parades, Concerts, and Community Celebration Kicks Off

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

Three-Day LGBTQ+ Festival Features Performances by Lizzo, Maren Morris, and Kim Petras West Hollywood is preparing to kick off its...

Palisades Village to Reopen in 2026 with Revamped Retail, Dining, and Community Spaces

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Elysewalker Set to Return With Park Reconstruction, Holiday Events, and Streetscape Upgrades Palisades Village, the open-air shopping and lifestyle destination...

Bel Air Seventh Grader Reaches Finals of Scripps National Spelling Bee

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Oliver Halkett of Mirman School Competed on Thursday for a $50,000 prize Thirteen-year-old Oliver Halkett, a seventh grader from Mirman...

(Video) Signs That Your Aging Loved Ones Are in Need of Caregiving

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

To Find Out More, Go To Safelyhomeagain.com To Find Out More, Go To https://t.co/ZCPyKHj5aq pic.twitter.com/cDTEPjfA6s — Westside Today (@WestsideLAToday) May...

Two Men Charged in Culver City Kidnapping and Robbery After Victim Forced to Withdraw Cash

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Suspects Allegedly Abducted Man at Gunpoint, Drove Him to Multiple Banks  Two men have been arrested and formally charged in...

Salt & Straw Unveils Summer Pie Series with Five Seasonal Ice Cream Flavors

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Five New Flavors Inspired by Classic Summer Pies Will Be Introduced Salt & Straw is giving summer a scoopable twist...

(Video) Interviews with Rick Caruso and Elyse Walker, with a Dennis Quaid cameo

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

We spoke at the Press Conference to announce plans to reopen Palisades Village Shopping Mall. Actor Dennis Quaid arrives to...