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Representing Youths is Just as Important as Representing Adults, and It’s Time Public Defense Acted Like it w Mary Ann Scali and HyeJi Kim
Today, Hunter sat down with Mary Ann Scali (Executive Director, Gault Center) and HyeJi (Senior Youth Defense Counsel, Gault Center), to discuss the legacy of the Supreme Court Case in re Gault and how it impacts youth representation today. Much like the episode with Justine Olderman and Wes Caines on the legacy of Gideon, today’s episode is a reflection on America’s history of neglecting the rights of children, what in re Gault meant for youth access to counsel, and how the court maybe did not go as far as it could have with that case. Most importantly, this episode is meant to serve as a reminder that Public Defense cannot continue to overlook the importance of youth representation. Around the country, youth representation is still viewed as the minor leagues of Public Defense, and it is time for the entire profession to move to practices the understand the importance of having specialized youth defenders who are resourced and staffed to attack a case with the same vigor as their offices dedicate to serious adult felonies.