Sec. 5. Studies
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After the end of the first fiscal year for which data grants are awarded, the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Director of the Office for Access to Justice, shall— conduct a study to analyze the data submitted to the Attorney General under section 4(d) for that fiscal year related to public defender and panel attorney caseloads and correlated outcomes; review studies, reports, and other data published or provided by professional organizations, legal associations, and bar associations related to public defender and panel attorney caseloads; and develop and publish best practices and recommendations for setting public defender and panel attorney caseloads based on the information described in clauses
(i)and
(ii)to ensure— reasonably effective assistance of counsel pursuant to constitutional standards and prevailing professional norms; and competent representation pursuant to applicable rules of professional responsibility. Not less frequently than once every 5 years, the Attorney General shall— study and review new studies, reports, or other data as described in subparagraph (A)(ii); and update the best practices and recommendations under subparagraph (A)(iii). Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting through the Director of Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Director of the Office for Access to Justice, shall— conduct a national study of public defender salaries and panel attorney rates, using prosecutors’ salaries as one benchmark; and develop and publish best practices and recommendations relating to compensation of public defenders and panel attorneys. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.