Grant Aims to Improve Juvenile Defense

Indiana Public Defender Council Executive Director Larry Landis (photo courtesy Indiana University)

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The federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has awarded a nearly $750,000 grant to the Indiana Public Defender Council. The funding will be used to improve representation for children who go through the justice system.

The state says it will use the grant to build a stronger community of juvenile defenders in order to ensure that more children are represented earlier in the process. It will also be used to improve the quality of juvenile defense by providing training opportunities with a special focus on rural areas and litigation support.

"The goal is to ensure youth have representation and that juvenile public defenders in every county have the support, resources, and training that they need to do their job," said Larry Landis, executive director of the IPDC.

The state says a diverse group of advisors will work to guide the grant project. Indiana is one of two states, including Delaware, to receive the funding, which comes from the Smart on Juvenile Justice: Enhancing Youth Access to Justice State Reform Implementation Program.