Foundation grant supports aid for jailed indigents
When an indigent finds himself in a Chicago jail in the middle of the night, First Defense Legal Aid is ready at all hours to provide legal representation prior to one’s first court date.
The Illinois Bar Foundation has upped its annual contribution toward this organization’s work to $10,000 in the current year, after six consecutive year grants averaging $3,750.
The goal of First Defense is to ensure access to justice, 24 hours a day, to individuals in Chicago Police Department custody in all 25 districts and five area headquarters facilities.
Most of its clients are young black and Hispanic men between the ages of 15 and 30. In addition to pro bono representation, they get education about rights and responsibilities.
First Defense also maintains community Streetlaw education and outreach programs in which presentations are made about police detention, interrogation and arrest procedures.
Because the agency’s focus is primarily on criminal law issues, its is not eligible for civil law grants from omnibus funders such as the Lawyers Trust Fund and Equal Justice Foundation.
Its staff and volunteer attorneys fill a critical gap, however, since public defenders may not represent clients in criminal matters until appointed by judges.
Each member of the First Defense cadre of more than 70 lawyers is committed to filling one 12-hour, on-call shift per month during an evening, weekend or holiday. They take emergency calls and can respond by telephone or in person.
Outside of business hours, an answering service screens all incoming calls and contacts a volunteer when a situation requires immediate attention.
For more information about First Defense Legal Aid, or to volunteer for pro bono involvement, call executive director Michael Joseph Wilson at (773) 826-3252.