Type of Defense Counsel and its Effect on Defendants Pretrial Proceedings

This research explores what effect having a court appointed counsel as opposed to private counsel has for a defendant being granted pretrial release. To investigate the influence further, data was collected from a non-random sample population from a Midwestern mid-sized city (2024). The primary variables in this study include counsel type, race, gender, initial bond type, release type, court appearance, number of days incarcerated, and whether defendants get re- arrested while their case is pending. It was concluded that there was a relationship between type of counsel and factors such as race and number of days incarcerated, but no significant relationship with gender, initial bond type, release from incarceration, court appearance, and remaining arrest free.