Delaware County public defender reports falling jail population, expanded services

Owen Taylor Dunn, Delaware County public defender, told council members Sept. 2 that the county's Public Defender's Office has expanded services and seen large declines in incarceration while adding social-service supports.

"We're incarcerating less human beings and crime is down," Dunn said, summarizing what he described as a decade of operational changes that paired legal defense with behavioral-health and social services. He said the office now employs 50 lawyers and 28 support and social-service staff — about 78 people in total — organized across 10 units and providing representation in 26 magisterial district courts, juvenile court, and appeals.

Dunn gave statistics to illustrate changes: 5,884 new cases opened in 2025 and an average George W. Hill jail population of 966 last month, which he described as "an over 50% reduction in prison population in the last 8 years." He also said the number of children placed in detention fell from 814 in 2014 to 66 in 2025 — a drop he called "over a 90% reduction in incarcerated children in the last 10 years." He tied those numbers to diversion programs, pretrial supervision and partnership programs such as mental-health court, veterans court, and opioid diversion initiatives.

Council members praised the office's work and asked how lower custody rates were sustained without compromising public safety. Dunn said judges and pretrial services can set unsecured bail with supervision and that monitoring on the street through pretrial services and probation reduces recidivism. He also described in-office social services — mental-health units, drug and alcohol treatment, housing and job training, and expungement clinics — as central to the approach.

Dunn identified retention and recruitment as ongoing priorities. He said Delaware County currently has an 82% retention rate for new hires, which he contrasted with state averages, and described active recruiting partnerships with regional law schools. He also said the office has started a small harm-reduction unit — two lawyers and two social workers — aimed at rapid response for people with opioid-use disorder.

Councilmembers said they appreciated the office's holistic approach and the staff's community partnerships.