FDLA attorneys collect vital information about the clients and the nature of the alleged offenses. FDLA also ensures that detainees' critical needs, such as access to medication, are met and that any violations that may have occurred while they were in police custody are documented. This recordkeeping benefits both the defendants and the police. FDLA's records can be relied on both to protect police officers from false allegations of physical abuse and to document incidents of police brutality. The hotline averages 5-10 calls each day, with the attorneys performing many additional functions, such as offering advice about the criminal justice system over the phone, helping people find family members who have been taken into custody by the police, and making police station visits.
Many calls come from young people or their parents.
They don't know where their kids are, and they don't know what to do. We find out where the kid is and act as a liaison between the parent and child. FDLA also works to educate the public, reaching out through street law programs, public service announcements, social workers, halfway houses, and other agencies.