Community Partner : Office of Public Defender ‐ Juvenile Division Intern : Annette Favetta Site Supervisor : Mark Friedenthal
What is the OPD ‐ Juvenile Division ? We are a group of lawyers , social workers , and staff members from the Juvenile Division of the Maryland Office of the Public Defender who have chosen to dedicate our careers to working with children in the Juvenile Court System . We believe that every child is deserving of zealous advocacy , and we fight each day to protect and defend our clients and their due process rights . Our representation continues even when the court case ends . We encourage our clients to stay in touch with us .
These past seven weeks have been some of the most rewarding and challenging experiences I have ever encountered . This internship was extremely humbling and constantly put me out my comfort zone . I had already experienced the criminal justice system on the side of the prosecution , and felt as though that was my calling . However , the stories and circumstances of the clients that I met were eye‐opening and even shocking . It was heartbreaking to hear the struggles of children with broken families , and aggravating to watch a child with mental instability become detained . However , through all of the disheartening stories , it was inspiring to witness the days when a child was able to return home to their family and to watch when attorneys , social workers , and magistrates work in solidarity to get children therapy or help them attain their GED . It is the quiet success of the people who work at this office , but more importantly the struggles the kids face , that motivate me to work as hard as I can so that one day I too can assist those children in need . ‐Annette
Tasks :
• Co‐conducting and note‐taking juveniles , parents , and witness
• Observing hearings and trials , a development of case theory , an
• Analyzing data for meetings reg Detention Alternative Initiative
• Collecting and analyzing data o arrests .