Summary: <p>PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND THE LEGACY OF GIDEON VS. WAINWRIGHT: It's been half a century since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that criminal defendants must be given a lawyer, even if they can't afford to pay. Today, about 80 percent of criminal defendants rely on a public defender. But many public defenders face crushing caseloads that make it hard to give adequate time and energy to each client. Kojo explores representation for indigent defendants and asks what overworked public defenders mean for the criminal justice system. (52 min.)</p>
