Evaluation of the Public Defender Service in England and Wales

Presents independent research into the Public Defender Service (PDS) pilot project. This report is intended for those interested in the public funding of legal services in England and Wales.

"Evaluation of the Public Defender Service in England and Wales", which presents independent research into the Public Defender Service (PDS) pilot project, is intended for anyone interested in the public funding of legal services in England and Wales.The Public Defender Service was set up by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) as a four-year pilot project in 2001 to provide quality, independent 'value for money' criminal defence services to the public. The LSC commissioned an independent team of researchers to monitor and evaluate the pilot project.The researchers were led by: Lee Bridges - Legal Research Institute, University of Warwick; and Avrom Sherr - Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London.In addition to exploring the wider policy context for the Service, this publication examines the nature of PDS clients and caseloads, case processing and outcomes, costs of Public Defender offices, and perceptions of the PDS both inside and outside of the Service.It finds that the quality of legal advice given is a primary strength of the PDS, but that PDS recognises a need to be more cost-effective in some areas, as 'value for money' can be a challenge.