NCJ Number
144383
Date Published
1992
Length
185 pages
Annotation
The program summaries presented describe the principal operational characteristics and procedures of the six Differentiated Case Management (DCM) demonstration courts (four criminal and two civil) launched under the sponsorship of the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Abstract
DCM is a technique that courts can use to tailor the case-management process, as well as the allocation of judicial system resources, to the characteristics of individual cases. The DCM concept assumes that not all cases have the same processing requirements. Whereas some cases can be processed quickly because of limited discovery requirements, others require extensive court supervision through pretrial and trial processing. DCM involves a case management structure that screens and processes cases according to categories of processing needs, thus making processing more efficient. In July 1987, the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Justice Department instituted a demonstration program to pilot test the application of DCM techniques to criminal and civil caseloads, so as to assist State trial courts in accommodating the impact of increasing drug caseloads on the total court docket. Six demonstration sites were selected. Summaries for these sites contain descriptions of the judicial systems, program objectives, program description, changes required to implement the DCM program, and project experience to date. The latter information addresses case assignment and status by track, implementation problems and issues addressed, and initial program impact. Each summary contains appended case processing flow charts and sample reports and forms.