Essay \"Reaction paper to gideon\'s army\" - grade A PDF

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Reaction paper to Gideon's Army...

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CJUS 4531 29 June 2018

Gideon’s Army

When Clarence Gideon went to trial for theft, he could not afford a defense attorney and was forced to come up with his own defense. After being convicted of the crime, he presented his case to the Supreme Court, which ruled in the landmark Gideon v Wainwright that the right to counsel is fundamental one for American citizens. Thus, Gideon’s Army is a fitting title for a documentary about the hard work of three public defenders, Brandy Alexander, Travis Williams, and June Hardwick, who all offer a unique perspective of their job. They represent a group of people in the legal world who do what seems to be the brunt of the work in the criminal justice system but don’t get nearly enough credit and recognition. Public defenders play a vastly important role in the American criminal justice system. As American citizens, we have the constitutional right to an attorney even if we cannot afford one. Most of those who are arrested and charged with crimes do not have the money to pay for a private attorney and this is where underpaid and overworked public defenders come in. They sacrifice the opportunity for higher pay and devote countless time and effort to make sure that indigent defendants get a fair shake when it comes to their legal defense. It is obvious that poor people do not have much standing in the criminal justice system so it goes without saying that

public defenders are often the only help they have to navigate the system. Without willing and competent public defenders, many would be left without the effective counsel they have a right to. Gideon’s Army opened my eyes to many of the hardships that public defenders go through and has helped me view them in a much different, more appreciative light. Before viewing this documentary, I never really gave much thought to the work of public defenders and the responsibilities that come with their jobs. Watching the subjects of the documentary dedicate themselves to each case they were dealing with being stretched too thin between work and personal problems gave me a newfound appreciation for public defenders. As someone who aspires to go to law school, I have always scoffed at the idea of becoming a public defender because I’ve always been under the impression that they don’t make enough money for the amount of work they do. I cannot imagine being obligated to represent someone like an admitted child rapist or murderer all while simultaneously dealing with a hundred other cases. Therefore, since watching the documentary, I’ve realized that becoming a public defender takes a special person, one who genuinely wants to help those who cannot help themselves when it comes to dealing with an often unfair and unjust criminal justice system. All of the subjects in the documentary left an impression on me but Travis Williams left the biggest one because he represents the complete opposite of what I think the public’s impression of a public defender is. He shows that you don’t have to have a high priced lawyer in order to receive an adequate defense. Instead of having an “on to the next one”, defeatist attitude, Travis seems to have a tremendous sense of compassion and responsibility for his job and seemed to be personally invested in his clients and the outcomes of the cases he takes on. The

fact that he goes as far as tattooing the clients name on his back if he loses a trial and hangs his wins up on the wall in his office shows that he takes his job as a public defender quite seriously. Travis’s story about his background also left an impression on me. With his upbringing, he could have easily given up but he chose to overcome his adversity and use it to relate to the people he is tasked with representing. In my opinion, public defenders have one of the most challenging jobs in America. They deal with criminals and are tasked with representing anyone who cannot afford an attorney — whether that be someone who shoplifted or someone who committed murder. They deal with everyone from first time offenders to hardened criminals. Brandy Alexander, one of the subjects of Gideon’s Army discusses the stress of having to defend a child rapist and the revelation that a client has threatened to murder her if she loses his trial although she feels like she has worked hard on his defense. Another subject, June Hardwick, is stuck between wanting to help indigent defenders and struggling to make a living with her salary. Being a public defender is also challenging because it can cause those who work in the field to become jaded and lose sight of their original purpose, which is to help people. In conclusion, Gideon’s Army is a very well done documentary. It follows three very different public defenders who have one goal, which is to ensure justice for the poor. Gideon’s Army shows that, in my opinion, public defenders should be just as appreciated as the firefighters, police officers, and doctors of our society. They deal with the underbelly of the criminal justice system and struggle with being underpaid, overworked, and even threatened by clients. They work to preserve the constitutional rights for those who would likely be railroaded by the criminal justice system if not for their will and determination....