SADO Receives DOJ Grant Funding for Sentencing Project

One of Four Programs Nationally to Receive the Gideon Grant

The State Appellate Defender Office was awarded $346,963 to support a project to help individuals who are convicted of offenses that may be eligible for community-based or non-prison sentences.  This two-year program involves an attorney and a social worker representing clients who are appealing their sentences. SADO Special Assistant Defender Jacqueline Ouvry will serve as the attorney and she will be working with Social Worker Nicole George.  The Project is devoted to collecting data, offering sentencing mitigation, establishing best practices, developing sentencing alternative networks in local communities, and training trial level indigent defenders.  The MCCD will serve as the local research partner and will inform the development of the Straddle Cell Sentencing project, as well conduct assessment and evaluation.  The DOJ Media Release details all of the grants awarded.