County Feels Pinch From ‘Three Strikes’ Law : Budget: Public defender’s office asks for more money to handle big increase in caseload. County is studying effects on other agencies.

In the first sign that the state’s new “three strikes” law is taking a financial toll on the county, the public defender’s office says it needs more employees to handle a dramatic increase in cases.

Ron Coley, the county’s manager of public protection services, told the Board of Supervisors during a budget hearing Wednesday that the proposal to hire 10 additional workers is only “an interim solution” to deal with the controversial law.

“Three strikes” requires a 25-years-to-life sentence for criminals who receive a third felony conviction, following two other serious or violent felony convictions.

“This is the first real indicator--and it is truly legitimate . . . that the public defender needs some relief,” Coley advised the supervisors.

Public Defender Ronald Y. Butler said the average weekly workload in his office grew from about 330 case in January to 567 in June. “Essentially the ‘three strikes’ law was the catalyst that caused the increase in the workload,” he said.

Butler has requested that the county allocate $576,000 for the addition of four attorneys, two investigators, two paralegals and two attorney clerks. The public defender’s office is now staffed by 121 attorneys and 260 employees overall.

Coley said it was possible other court-related agencies may request additional funds when the board conducts a mid-year budget review in January. The county is evaluating the law’s long-term effect on the district attorney’s office, Sheriff’s Department, Probation Department and county courts, with the findings to be presented to the board by the end of the year.

“It’s going to impact us, but at this time it’s not to the degree that we feel that we’ve got to ask for additional staff,” said Assistant Chief Dist. Atty. Maurice C. Evans. “It’s a matter, however, that we will continue to review.”

Opponents of the “three strikes” law argue that defendants who might otherwise plead guilty to a third felony offense will now demand a trial, clogging the court system.

Presiding judges from the county’s municipal and superior courts sent letters to the county administrative office stating that court operations have slowed since the law was enacted earlier this year because of the public defender’s limited resources.

Despite the financial drain of the “three strikes” law, county officials have been uncharacteristically upbeat about the proposed $3.7-billion budget for the new fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1.

It is the first time in three years that officials haven’t proposed laying off county workers or leaving vacant positions unfilled.

In fact, the county expects to hire about 930 new employees in the next fiscal period, nearly half of the 2,000 positions cut in the past three years. Most of those positions, however, will be funded through state and federal grants, as well as city contracts.

In addition to the public defender’s proposed budget hike, the county plans to boost staffing levels of the Sheriff’s Department, Fire Department and district attorney’s office. Coley said the 1994-95 proposed $584-million budget for public protection agencies represents a 6% increase over last year’s budget.

In his proposed budget, Sheriff Brad Gates has asked the county to set aside funds to staff and expanded Theo Lacy Branch Jail, even though the city of Orange has sued the county to prohibit such an expansion. County officials said they are trying to reach an out-of-court settlement with Orange.

Despite the legal squabble, Gate is asking that the jail be expanded by 358 beds and 55 new employees be hired to staff it. The sheriff’s Intake/Release Center is also slated to be expanded by 168 beds, with no additional staff needed.

Other highlights in this year’s public protection budgets are: expanding the sheriff’s patrol services for unincorporated areas of the county; increasing probation services--including a pilot program aimed at preventing repeat juvenile offenders; expanding the district attorney’s “TARGET” multi-jurisdictional gang suppression program; adding three fire stations and, for the first time in county history, impaneling a second, temporary grand jury to look into criminal matters.

The board, which held its second day of hearings Wednesday, will conduct a final session on the county’s proposed budget today, reviewing the budgets for capital improvements, insurance and general government services. The board is expected to approve a final budget in late September.

Case Overload Since fiscal year 1989-90, the number of cases handled by Orange County public defenders has increased steadily, while the number of attorneys in that office has dropped from 123 to 121. While the caseload was climbing 12%, the operating budget increased 24%

Total Cases ‘93-’94-65,838

Operating Budget In millions of dollars $18.6 Source: County of Orange, public defender’s office; Researched by APRIL JACKSON / Los Angeles Times