Measuring Effectiveness of Holistic Defense: Social Service Provision and Justice System Outcomes

A holistic public defense model is more comprehensive than a traditional model of public defense representation. Holistic defense seeks to address extralegal needs that are a nexus to the criminal charge rather than focusing solely on addressing the current criminal charge of the individual. This model is a collaborative approach that has traditionally included social workers and civil legal workers in a team approach with a criminal lawyer. Prior research on holistic defense has demonstrated efficacy in addressing individuals’ social legal needs thus reducing recidivism and justice system costs. In this research, I describe and evaluate a pilot project of a holistic defense model employed in Southwest Alaska and outline similar models in use in other jurisdictions in the United States. This evaluation supports previous research that indicates the importance of addressing defendants’ extralegal needs in reducing recidivism and costs while improving individual case outcomes. I discuss the policy implications of this research and provide recommendations to enhance future evaluations of a holistic defense model.