About the Task Force on Indigent Defense
The Task Force is a state agency established by the Texas Fair Defense Act (2001). The Task Force is a standing committee under the Texas Judicial Council and is composed of eight ex officio (by virtue of their office) members of the Texas judiciary and legislature and five members appointed by the Governor. The Task Force meets regularly to address current issues ranging from individual county concerns to broader Legislative policies.
The work of the Task Force is directed by James Bethke with a total staff of seven who perform the monumental task of assisting and monitoring 254 counties. The Task Force staff ensures appropriate distribution of funds, provides technical assistance and policy guidance, conducts in-depth research on relevant issues in indigent defense, and monitors for policy and fiscal compliance of the counties.
The mission of the Task Force is to improve the delivery of indigent defense services through fiscal assistance, accountability and professional support to State, local judicial, county and municipal officials. That mission supports the ultimate purpose of the Task Force, which is to promote justice and fairness to all indigent persons accused of criminal conduct, while doing so in a cost-effective manner that also meets the needs of the local community.
The Task Force administers the disbursement of state funds - $25 million per year or about 15 % of the total cost of indigent defense in Texas - through a variety of grants to counties, including:
-
Formula Grants – funds available to counties that are calculated from a baseline of each county’s indigent defense spending and population
-
Equalization Disbursements – additional state funds to help counties with the lowest percentage of state reimbursements of overall increased costs to provide indigent defense
-
Discretionary Grants – funds to assist counties with the implementation of indigent defense improvement projects
-
Extraordinary Disbursements – funds to assist counties with exceptional costs that result in financial hardship for the county
-
Direct Disbursements – reimbursement funds available to counties that typically have low indigent defense expenses and do not receive formula grants
Furthermore, the Task Force serves as a significant resource for information and research to assist counties in fulfilling their obligations to provide indigent defense services in the most efficient and cost-effective manner according to each individual county.
The Task Force works to promote a fair system of justice by increasing awareness and opportunities for counties to ensure access to quality representation for those accused of a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney. Increasing standards and resources for meaningful indigent defense services improves the overall quality of our judicial system. A strong defense system on par with the prosecution promotes fairness in judicial outcomes, decreases wrongful convictions, and increases public safety.
If you have more questions about the Task Force, check out their website. They have a wealth of information, including research studies and publications about indigent defense in Texas on their resources page. Furthermore, you can learn about your each county’s plan and funding for indigent defense through the searchable database.