Does Indiana Have A Weak Public Defender System?

07/13/20 • 19 min

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A new report shows that public defenders in Indiana are underpaid, and that there's a pay disparity between public defenders and prosecutors in counties across the state. Advocates who want to address the issue say a weak public defender system has wide-ranging consequences, especially for low-income Hoosiers, and that it contributes to over-incarceration. We talk to some of the people behind the report about what causes the lower pay, what impact it has on public defenders and the citizens who need them, and what could be done to change things. Produced by Drew Daudelin. Guests: Andrew Cullen Public Policy & Communications Specialist, Indiana Public Defender Commission Derrick Mason Senior Staff Attorney, Indiana Public Defender Commission Torrin Liddell Data & Statistics Analyst, Indiana Public Defender Commission

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The Friday Pitch-In

This week a federal judge struck down Indiana’s 2018 abortion law, saying it was "too vague." The Archdiocese of Indianapolis got push-back for its policy prohibiting transgender students. And Indiana swapped out its state-run PPE marketplace with a directory to connect small businesses with the gear they need. Today we get updates on these stories and more. We also hear about the alleged racist assault at Lake Monroe last Saturday, and get an update on its investigation. And we learn how Indiana Women’s Prison is dealing with COVID-19, and why some say the prison is creating unsafe conditions for inmates. And Earth Day Indiana is still on for next weekend. Can an event like that be safe right now? And an Indiana University study reveals mental health problems caused by stress during the pandemic. Produced by Matt Pelsor. Guests: Lauren Chapman Digital Producer, Indiana Public Broadcasting Jake Harper Reporter, Side Effects Public Media Greg Zeisemer Executive Director, Earth Day Indiana Ellen Vaughan Associate Professor, IU School of Education, Counseling and Educational Psychology Department Zoe Peterson Associate Professor, IU School of Education, Counseling and Educational Psychology Department; Director, Kinsey Institute’s Sexual Assault Research Initiative

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How Will Higher Ed Institutions Adjust?

A traditional college campus with tight dorm rooms, crowded lecture halls, and bustling bars at night isn’t the most compatible setting for social distancing guidelines. But for many students returning to campus this fall, life will look different. And leaders across Indiana say they're working to protect the quality of the education available to them. We talk to leaders from community colleges and four-year institutions about the plans they’ve developed so that students, both domestic and international, do not have to choose between their health and their education. Produced by Maggie Gelon. Guests: Sue Ellspermann President, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Sarah Smith-Robbins Director of Learning Technologies, Indiana University Kelley School of Business Robert Manuel President, University of Indianapolis Hannah Buxbaum Vice President for International Affairs, Indiana University