About This Course
The Maryland Office of the Public Defender has initiated a pilot project to develop a specialized unit for the purpose of representing “emerging adult” clients. This innovative project focuses on 18-25 year olds who tend to be over-represented in our prisons and criminal legal system despite indications from scientific research which presents them as more capable of growth and change, less culpable and still maturing neurologically. More recent research indicates that the emerging-adult prison population represents the country’s worst racial disparities.
This CLE course will present this project and how Maryland will utilize it to develop cutting-edge strategies to defend this population and thereby initiate change throughout the system.
