(C)  The client may not understand the most basic facts about the criminal process.  Noncitizens may be much less streetwise than other relatively inexperienced defendants.  The judicial system in their home country may be different.  They may view all government authority and employees with fear.  It may not be clear that the criminal system is different from the federal immigration system.  It can be very helpful for counsel to read about the judicial system in the client’s country of origin to learn what the client’s expectations are.[1]

[1] See generally J. Connell & R. Valladares, eds., Cultural Issues In Criminal Defense (Juris Publishing 2000); J. Moore, editor, Immigrants In Courts  (Univ. of Washington Press 1999).  See also Bibliography, “Cultural Influences,” at http://CriminalAndImmigrationLaw.com for more specific references to resources concerning Muslim law, Russian law, and the like.

Other

BIBLIOGRAPHY
L. FRIEDMAN RAMIREZ, ED., CULTURAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL DEFENSE (2d ed. 2007).

CRIMINAL DEFENSE - INVESTIGATION
A. Renteln, Raising Cultural Defenses, in L. FRIEDMAN RAMIREZ, ED., CULTURAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL DEFENSE 423 (2d ed. 2007).

CRIMINAL DEFENSE - INVESTIGATION
J. Connell, Using Cultural Experts, in L. FRIEDMAN RAMIREZ, ED., CULTURAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL DEFENSE 467 (2d ed. 2007).