The criminal justice system does not focus on individual needs outside of the defense against criminal charges and thus perpetuates the cycle that results in indigent people burdened with a criminal record. This paper first examines the current practices of public defenders. Next it explores the indirect consequences of involvement with the criminal justice system known as collateral consequences and the relatively new practice of holistic defense by which these consequences may be addressed. The paper then discusses issues that previously incarcerated individuals have upon their re-entry into society. Finally, the paper will introduce a new concept, “pre-entry,” inspired by the holistic defense approach.