ANALYSIS OF RECORD-KEEPING IN FELONY COURT CASES

• NCJ Number: 28916
• Author(s): W S L MOY; A E T WITTER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 25 pages
• Contract Number(s): F19628-73-C-0001
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Mitre Corporation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS RESULTING FROM A STUDY OF THE RECORD-KEEPING OPERATIONS IN THE FELONY COURT CASES OF A MAJOR METROPOLITAN JURISDICTION.

Abstract

THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCURACY OF INDIVIDUAL CASE RECORDS IN ADULT CRIMINAL CASES. THE MANUAL AND COMPUTERIZED RECORDS OF A RANDOM SAMPLE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TOTAL POPULATION WERE COMPARED AND ANALYZED. THE STUDY RESULTED IN FINDINGS OF INCOMPLETENESS, INCONSISTENCY, ERROR, AND DELAY IN RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS. THE ACCURACY OF THE CASE RECORD WAS QUESTIONABLE IN 100 PERCENT OF THE MANUAL CASE RECORDS EXAMINED AND IN 96 PERCENT OF THE COMPUTER RECORDS. THE CONCLUSIONS ARE THAT THE ACCESSIBILITY OF RECORDS IS GENERALLY INADEQUATE, THAT THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF MANUAL RECORDS ARE QUESTIONABLE, THAT THE METHOD OF INPUT OF MANUAL DATA INTO THE COMPUTER REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT, AND THAT THE ABSENCE OF ERROR DETECTION PROCEDURES IS A SERIOUS DEFICIENCY. THE PROBLEMS IN THE RECORD-KEEPING OPERATIONS CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE COST AND EFFICIENCY OF THE JUSTICE PROCESS AND PERHAPS ON THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE AS WELL. SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS ARE SUGGESTED. THESE INCLUDE A) CENTRALIZED STORAGE SYSTEM WITH IDENTIFIED ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, B) AN ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT WITH DATA QUALITY AUDIT RESPONSIBILITY, C) AN EXPANDED USE OF COMPUTER FILES, AND D) AN IMPROVED PROCEDURAL SYSTEM FOR ENTERING DATA. TWO APPENDIX SECTIONS CONTAINING DETAILED DATA DISPLAYS ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)