ABSTRACT
The problem of justice for poor criminal suspects is typically conceived as one of inadequate legal representation. Although Defenders can be seen to accord their clients procedural justice, this does not mean that their clients encounter no injustice in the adjudication of their cases. On the contrary, this chapter reveals that social class influences a great deal of their attorneys' behavior. Not surprisingly, the chapter concludes that poor criminal suspects are more likely to be convicted of crimes, be convicted of more serious crimes and receive more severe sentences than other defendants. What may be surprising is the reason provided for such rates. Numerous researchers have studied the effects of defendants' social class or status on criminal case outcomes. As a private, nonprofit corporation of court-appointed defense attorneys, Defense Alliance was rather unique among systems for indigent defense. The problem of achieving substantive justice emphasizes the role of broader social conditions in legal processes.
