“They’re better funded than the public defender”

Excerpt from Edith, a family member of a defendant at the Hall of Justice in winter 2022.

Interviewer: Okay, so the state of California spends about $4 billion every year on the courts, which pays for the salaries of prosecutors, judges and public defenders, as well as various programs for civil and criminal cases. Do you think the state should spend more or less money on the courts?  

Edith: Less.  

Interviewer: Less. Yeah, could you tell me why you think less money?  

Edith: I think that, uh, D.A.s can be very ambitious, and they slap ten charges on people. And, you know, it, uh, it’s not that that in essence.  

Interviewer: Mhm.  

Edith: Uh, and they're better funded than the public defender office. They have much more staff. So, I think that's another thing that on the court—that I think that it ought to be balanced for the budgets for both positions, or both departments, I should say.

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