Originally published Oct. 15 on IdahoCapitalSun.com .Many people charged with felonies in Idaho remain in jail because they cannot afford bail, making free and timely access to communicate with a public defender crucial to their future in the criminal justice system.
For nearly four weeks between September and October, public defense attorneys in southern Idaho could not be contacted by their clients in jail after they had their phone system switched from county-issued phones to state-issued phones. One public defender said the situation was “unacceptable,” noting that missed deadlines could severely impact clients’ cases.
Patrick Orr, spokesperson for the State Public Defender’s Office, told the Idaho Capital Sun that the office worked with jail technology experts to fix the issue within a day of being notified.
This month, Idaho transitioned to a new state-funded public defense system meant to address concerns and lawsuits claiming inadequate public defense for those in the criminal justice system. However, attorneys told the Idaho Capital Sun the transition process has been troublesome.