79: What Could Yolo County Public Defenders Do if They Weren't Funded $16 Million Less than the Prosecutors? w/Tracie Olson

01/03/23 • 73 min

While not a small county, Yolo County California does not have the size or resources to match the major metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, L.A., or Sacramento. Yet somehow, Tracie Olson, Chief Public Defender Yolo County, and her team at the Yolo County Public Defender Office are able to maintain a strong holistic public defense practice.

Despite a $16 million dollar budget shortfall compared to the prosecutors, Tracie has been able to establish her office as a pillar in the community. If the county and the state of California were to finally fund the office at even 85% of what the prosecutor’s office received, the health and safety of Yolo County could reach heights no one thought possible!

Guest:

Tracie Olson, Chief Public Defender, Yolo County Public Defender Office

Key Topics:

How Tracie got started in Indigent Defense [8:30]

Demographics and layout of Yolo County California [13:25]

Where the Yolo County Public Defender Office sits California’s Public Defense System [15:30]

Funding disparity between California Prosecutors and Public Defenders, and what Tracie can do despite the disparity [17:43]

Community Response to the disparity in Prosecutor and Public Defense Funding [21:20]

The impacts of the “tough on crime” media narratives over the past few years on Yolo County [27:50]

Trying to address the housing issue in Yolo County [37:30]

What can’t the Yolo County PD office do because of the funding shortage and how is the community hurt as a result [41:25]

Making Public Defense more than a “check box” system [48:20]