The arrest of a loved one can be confusing and frightening. But the first 24 hours after an arrest is also a critical period of time to impact the outcome of a case. It is in these initial hours that your family and community can act to impact key decisions that may determine if your loved one all be out of custody while fighting their case, their treatment in the jail, and preserving key information that can be crucial in their defense of the alleged charge.  The First 24 is an easy to follow guide on what steps you can take to best advocate for your loved one.

 

Each First 24 is county specific researched information about how to interact with key institutions of that county - the jail, the courts, the public defenders, the police. The information in the First 24s have been generated from families who have been through the experience themselves, public defenders, and our organization Silicon Valley De-Bug, as part of our effort to provide ways families and communities can impact the court system. We call the approach participatory defense.