Today, Hunter sat down with Carlos Martinez, the Chief Defender in the Miami Public Defender Office. With more than 30 years of experience as a Public Defender in Miami, Carlos Martinez has seen a little bit of everything in the office, but his experience extends past the court room. As a native son of Miami, Carlos relies on his personal experiences to help shape his offices outreach into the community. In speaking with Carlos I was struck by the thoughtful manner in which he approaches his responsibilities as an elected official and the importance of being an office that is constantly reaching out into the community.

In this discussion, you'll hear Carlos talk about his early influences that drove him towards public defense, the challenges of staffing and funding shortages that his office currently faces, and much much more!

Guests:

Carlos Martinez, Chief Public Defender, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Key Topics and Takeaways:

How Carlos Got to be the Chief Public Defender [6:22]

Inspiring the Hispanic Community Through Action and Outreach [17:10]

Successes in Community Outreach [23:10]

The Impacts of Being an Elected Official [28:30]

Manning and Funding Shortages [40:47]

Why the Judiciary is so Reluctant for Change [49:30]

Why is There a Shortage of Prosecutors in Miami [55:00]

Sustaining the Victories [58:00]

Resources:

44: Community Outreach and Staffing Shortages in Miami Public Defense w/Carlos Martinez