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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE COOK COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE FOR ITS POSITIVE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS
WHEREAS, a Public Defender's Office is essential to the progress of a just and equitable society and an important component of our system of justice as outlined in the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to counsel in criminal prosecutions, and is the basis for the public defender system; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Public Defender's Office is tasked with providing unbiased legal representation to those who cannot afford a private attorney; and
WHEREAS, our Cook County Public Defender's Office is paramount to the success of our citizens, exemplified through the work they do and the many community-based programs they offer; and
WHEREAS, programs such as the Know Your Rights Campaigns, Dialogue with Community, Law Students Volunteer and Internship Program, and Community Defense Centers, as well as their many other programs build rapport between community members and public defenders allowing for an easier execution of their duties; and
WHEREAS, Dialogue with Community offers a space to facilitate a Q&A style dialogue where the community can seek information in regards to the inner workings of the office as well as the office asking the community for feedback on their work, they also take that opportunity to provide information and connect people with resources; and
WHEREAS, the Law Students Volunteer and Internship Program allows recent graduates and current law students the opportunity to shadow an attorney so they can get a better sense of the justice system by directly participating; and
WHEREAS, additionally the Public Defender's office hosts Know Your Rights events with the goal of boosting community knowledge about their constitutional rights, including anyone who has been detained by the police, as well as informing people of the free legal services provided by the Public Defender's Office and in d...
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