First Defense Legal Aid Explains How to Stop the Flow of Chicago’s Poor and Mentally Ill Into Cook County Jail

While everyone has the right to counsel as soon as they are not free to leave a police interaction, the Cook County Public Defender cannot represent anyone in the crucial first 48 hours, according to First Defense Legal Aid.

By sending in volunteer attorneys, First Defense can prevent false confessions and police overreach. The organization has been available since 1995, but people in Chicago police custody face grave barriers to accessing their free service and alternatives to detention- especially the mentally ill.

First Defense Legal Aid (FDLA) is a non-profit organization that provides free, 24-hour, legal representation to people in Chicago Police Department custody when someone calls 1(800) 529-7374 to alert to an arrest.

FDLA Executive Director traveled to London to see how they are able to divert the mentally ill to treatment instead of jail by engaging a free advocate right away at the police station, for every mentally ill arrestee. In order to implement the model here, two key departments of the City of Chicago would have to participate along with First Defense: the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Department of Public Health.

First Defense Legal Aid breaks down the simple solution HERE.

For more information, contact: Eliza Solowiej, Executive Director, First Defense Legal Aid at  (773) 354-8581 or Eliza@First-Defense.org