James Berry
Chief of the
Community Defender Division
Email: JBerry@pdsdc.org

The Community Defender Division

The Community Defender Division provides services through four programs: (1) the Juvenile Services Program represents children at institutional disciplinary hearings at the District’s youth detention centers and works with community organizations to develop re-entry programs that address the special needs of children; (2) the Institutional Services Program serves as the PDS liaison to the US Bureau of Prisons to provide information to assist DC Code offenders and monitor their conditions of incarceration; (3) the Community Reentry Program responds to the legal and social services needs of newly released parolees, assisting them in making a successful transition back into the community; special consideration is given to returning DC Code offenders who are not served by the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA); and (4) the Community Outreach and Education Program educates members of the community about their legal rights and responsibilities in the criminal justice system. Each program is enhanced through the work of law students trained and supervised through PDS’s Legal Clerkship Program.

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