United States

BACKGROUND WIth 748 citizens in prison for every 100,000 people, the United States has one of the most draconian criminal justice systems in the world. Racial inequality continues to be a startling characteristic of the system. The likelihood of black males going to prison in their lifetime is 16% compared to 2% of white males and 9% of Hispanic males. Indigent defendants in the United States are also entitled to free counsel under the U.S. Supreme Court decision Gideon v. Wainwright. Nonetheless, recent budget cuts across the United States have left public defenders poorly paid and struggling to represent clients effectively with enormous caseloads. QUICK FACTS 2009 Prison Population: 2,297,400 / 748 people per 100,000, the highest in the world on a per capita basis 200,000 of these prisoners are over 50 years of age 110.1% prison occupancy level (based on official capacity)

UNITED STATES CRIMINAL DEFENSE MANUAL Table of contents Stages in a Criminal Trial - US LEGAL RESOURCES Codes United States Constitution United States Bill of Rights Federal Rules of Evidence Other Materials Strategies for Defending a Drug Case in the United States Important U.S. Cases American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct Legal Training Resource Center eLearning Courses for Indian lawyers