The Nevada County Public Defender’s Office not only helps low-income defendants resolve their criminal cases. Public Defender Kerri Klein says they’re also housed with the county’s Health and Human Services Department. She says these defendants also qualify for important and often vital social services at the Department. Klein says the link with that department is quite unusual, compared to most counties, and it can also be quite beneficial…

click to listen to Kerri Klein

Klein says that also helps strengthen public defenders’ relationships and effectiveness with their clients…

click to listen to Kerri Klein

And Klein says with more people not being repeat offenders, and not ending up in the justice system again, Nevada County’s crime rate has dropped more.