WHAT: On Thursday, August 26th, an expert from the Vera Institute of Justice will testify in front of the Interim Study Committee on Corrections and the Criminal Code on counsel at first appearance and other urgently needed reforms to Indiana’s pretrial justice system. There, Vera will present a preview of comprehensive jail cost analysis, exploring the true cost of jails to most Indiana counties and the potential for cost savings from safely reducing local incarceration.

Other stakeholders and organizations will also present testimony about Counsel at First Appearance, more holistic pretrial reforms, and their potential impact on jail overcrowding. These presentations will cover the right to counsel in case law, the current state of pretrial justice, and the need for holistic reforms to ensure that Indiana does not violate the constitutional rights of poor defendants.

WHEN: Thursday, August 26th at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Watch the Livestream here

WHO: Jasmine Heiss, Director, In Our Backyards Initiative, Vera Institute of Justice.

For full list of witnesses, see http://184.175.130.101/documents/391b9256.