To date no government entity, academic institution, organization or individual has been able to collect complete data on how right to counsel services are organized and funded in Mississippi. In 2011, the Mississippi Legislature took initial steps to rectify this situation through the creation of the Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD). OSPD is statutorily tasked with coordinating the collection of statistical data and making recommendations to a Supreme Court Task force on the creation of a unified statewide right to counsel system. Unfortunately, OSPD office received no funds to fulfill their statutory obligations in this regard.
Please check the box next to the following questions if the answer is 'yes'.
Please enter the applicable Event Date if there is an Event associated with this TTA.
When entering an Event Date, the Time is also required.
If the TTA is targeted to a particular audience or location, please complete the questions below.
The Mississippi Office of the State Public Defender is statutorily tasked with coordinating “the collection and dissemination of statistical data and make such reports as are required of the divisions, develop plans and proposals for further development of a statewide public defender system in coordination with the Mississippi Public Defenders Task Force.” As such, out target setting is inclusive of the entire state – rural, urban and transitional/suburban.
Milestones are an element, activity, work product, or key task associated with completing the TTA (e.g. kick-off meeting, collect data from stake holders, deliver initial data analysis).
Please complete the fields below, if applicable, to create a milestone for this TTA.
Please respond to the Performance Metrics below. The Performance Metrics questions are based on the TTA Type indicated in the General Information section of the TTA.
Please submit a signed letter of support from your agency’s executive or other senior staff member. The letter can be emailed to or uploaded with this request. The letter should be submitted on official letterhead and include the following information:
- General information regarding the request for TTA services, i.e., the who, what, where, when, and why.
- The organizational and/or community needs specific to the request for TTA services.
- The benefits or anticipated outcomes from the receipt of TTA services.
By submitting this application to BJA NTTAC, I understand that upon approval of this application for TTA, the requestor agrees to keep BJA NTTAC informed of any circumstances that may impact the delivery of the TTA, including changes in the date of the event, event cancellation, or difficulties communicating with the assigned TTA provider.
Please call [site:phone] if you need further assistance completing this application.
Sent e-mail to Ms. Lee on 10.12.12 asking for time to have assessment call. Call set up for Noon on 10.18.12. Sent to BJA on 10.23.12. E-mail to Angela on 11.1.12 inquiring about status of this TA. She replied that it was still on the table for consideration. No decision yet. 11.30.12 e-mail to Angela inquiring again as to status of this TA. Still no decision. Received final report and recommendations on 11.5.13. Link to survey monkey evaluations for both the provider and requester were sent on 11.5.13. Closing request on 11.5.13 as it has been completed.
Providers selected for consideration (previously 'Selected Providers' field):
Any proposal files shown below are under File Attachments
Selected Provider 1: Sixth Amendment Center
Bid: 35909.64
Proposal file: Mississippi Proposed Phase I Work Plan - (Final May 14 2013) (2).pdf
Chosen Provider: Sixth Amendment Center
a:28:{s:32:"field_what_event_has_occurred_th";s:660:"In July of 2011, the Mississippi Legislature created of the Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD). OSPD is statutorily tasked with coordinating the collection of statistical data and making recommendations to a Supreme Court Task force on the creation of a unified statewide right to counsel system. Unfortunately, OSPD office received no funds to fulfill their statutory obligations in this regard. To date no government entity, academic institution, organization or individual has been able to collect complete data on how right to counsel services are organized and funded in Mississippi. Therefore OSPD is seeking TTA assistance to complete this task.";s:32:"field_what_do_you_want_to_achiev";s:369:"The Office of the State Public Defender would like to collect uniform
data and advise policy-makers that indigent defense trial-level services should be overseen by OSPD ensuring that every client entitled to the right to counsel receives a competent defense from qualified attorneys with the time, training and resources to adequately advocate on clients’ behalf.
";s:32:"field_what_will_happen_if_this_n";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_what_is_the_gap_between_wh";s:191:"To date no government entity, academic institution, organization or individual has been able to collect complete data on how right to counsel services are organized and funded in Mississippi.";s:32:"field_do_you_have_any_data_to_su";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_have_there_been_previous_a";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_have_you_sought_tta_before";s:196:"Ms. Lee applied for a grant from BJA to collect the data in regard to the amount of funding that is expended by each county, however, her grant was denied. She has not previously applied for TTA.";s:32:"field_who_will_assume_leadership";s:79:"Ms. Leslie, Lee, State Public Defender, will assume leadership for this request";s:32:"field_how_did_you_learn_about_nt";s:199:"Ms. Lee has applied for a grant from BJA in the past and is familiar with BJA’s work. She was encouraged by David Carroll of the 6th Amendment Center to apply for TTA since her grant was declined.";s:32:"field_what_are_your_organization";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_what_are_organization_s_we";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_what_opportunities_does_th";s:258:"There is potential for a large cost savings to the State of Mississippi if indigent defense funding is moved from the local county to the State. The data collected from the TTA request will provide the information that is necessary to make this adjustment. ";s:32:"field_what_are_the_challenges_th";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_how_will_this_technical_as";s:552:"This data collected from this TTA will provide information to the State that can ultimately result in a reduction in cost expenditures for indigent defense. With a statewide system of providing funding for indigent defense, the counties will be alleviated of the cost burden to provide this defense. Rural counties with the worst crime have the smallest budgets; moving the indigent defense funding to the state will allow the revenue to be distributed more evenly so that smaller counties do not experience the burden of cost for indigent defense. ";s:32:"field_what_is_your_overarching_g";s:145:"To identify systematic deficiencies in the delivery of indigent defense services and to identify gaps to be addressed by Mississippi lawmakers. ";s:32:"field_please_list_at_least_two_o";s:631:"1. Collect data of indigent defense services from 22 jurisdictions which contain 81 counties to determine the exact amount that is being spent currently at the local level for indigent defense;
2. To develop a budget plan to present to the State of Mississippi showing that it is more cost effective if the State pays for indigent defense;
3. To conduct interviews (on-site or by phone) with stakeholders in 8 counties to determine if the public defenders in those counties are at the standard level for providing defense as outlined by the American Bar Association’s Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System.
";s:32:"field_as_a_result_of_this_tta_wh";s:342:"Six months from now Ms. Lee anticipates that they will be half way through the collection of data and have formulated some ideas for developing a budget plan to present to the State Legislature in January 2014. In addition, interviews will have started with stakeholders in some of the 8 counties to determine standards for public defenders. ";s:32:"field_who_will_be_participating_";s:422:"The evaluator will collect data from 22 jurisdictions including 81 counties that may consist of: circuit court judges, municipal judges, juvenile court judges, circuit court clerks, mayors, aldermen, and defense practitioners. In addition, the evaluator will conduct site visits and interviews with similar stakeholders in eight counties regarding the standards that public defenders are held to when providing a defense. ";s:32:"field_what_do_participants_need_";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_what_activities_experience";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_who_supports_you_in_this_e";s:439:"The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee is supportive of the TTA. He is interested in taking the burden of providing funding for indigent defense off of the county and assigning it to the State of Mississippi. In addition, the Public Defender Task Force is supportive of this request along with a variety of public defenders, judges, prosecutors, county officials, legislators that Ms. Lee has been in conversation with over this issue. ";s:32:"field_who_are_key_stakeholders_i";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_who_are_key_stakeholders_p";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_who_are_key_stakeholders_o";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_how_open_are_the_key_stake";s:221:"Ms. Lee will take the recommendations of the TTA provider to the January 2014 State of Mississippi Legislature for approval. Ms. Lee anticipates that the results will be received favorably from all stakeholders involved.";s:32:"field_are_there_any_local_govern";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_how_will_your_organization";s:3:"N/A";s:32:"field_what_other_resources_do_yo";s:61:"Ms. Lee will provide administrative support to the evaluator.";}