Research

Researchers have studied the efficacy of holistic defense, and this research may be useful as offices are educating internal and external stakeholders about the importance of expanding representation to include a holistic approach.

For example:

• A study by the Rand Corporation and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, published in the Harvard Law Review, found that over a ten-year period clients represented by holistic defenders spent 1.1 million fewer days in custody or other forms of mandatory detention than clients represented by a more traditional public defender office.
• A study by Casey Family Programs found that the children of parents who were represented by holistic defenders spent 118 fewer days on average in foster care than parents represented by traditional defenders..
• A study of the holistic model of the Maryland Office of the Public Defender provides insights and lessons learned for offices considering establishing or expanding holistic defense practices.