by Sam Allison-Natale and Erin Nisly

Telling an escalated person to calm down has never calmed anyone down, and telling a person experiencing a delusion that they’re deluded is a recipe for your client pulling away.

Thankfully, there’s a better way.  These challenging moments are a chance for you to build trust, foster understanding, help with emotional regulation, and validate your client’s feelings and experiences. The way to do this is implementing the Six Steps of Validation - a technique developed by social workers and psychologists in the context of therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder, but which can be useful for connecting with many clients in stressful situations.

by Jennifer Roth, Deputy Appellate Defender

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on how a years’ work has shaped up, and to recognize those whose contributions made a difference in that work. Accordingly, The Rap Sheet editors asked Clayton Perkins (Chief Capital Appellate Defender) and I, the co-chairs of KACDL’s Legislative Committee, to pick five criminal justice heroes of the strange year that was 2021.  These are people who, in some way, improved the lives of our clients and their families in the past year.

by Anastasia Leininger, Sedgwick County Public Defender

Sedgwick County BIDS office welcomes Sonya Strickland and Bach Hang, who assumed the roles of Chief and Deputy, respectively, last year.

by Jessica Glendening, Shawnee County Public Defender

As public defender offices we do a lot of work to help our clients with their legal issues. But in Shawnee County we have started two other initiatives to help our clients with broader issues. We gather supplies for clients in need, like snacks, hygiene products, blankets and warm clothing items, and we also have a book corner with books for clients to take for their children.

by Heather Cessna, BIDS Executive Director

One of the things I find hardest during this holiday season is picking out gifts for friends and family. But, a good book is almost always a safe bet for gift giving. So, if you are looking for some good public defense or criminal legal system-focused books to give to others or to read for yourself to get inspired for the new year, here are a few suggestions that I’ve either recently read or are waiting in my to-read pile!