NCJ Number
152004
Journal
Justice System Journal Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: special issue (1994) Pages: 41-52
Date Published
1994
Length
12 pages
Annotation
In response to an upsurge in drug arrests and a local legal culture that tacitly accepted delay in processing drug cases, the Cook County (Illinois) Circuit Court established night courts to deal exclusively with drug-related cases.
Abstract
As part of this effort, new courts were established, handpicked judges were drawn from other courts, and the judges were then mandated to reduce backlogs and render speedy dispositions. The program instituted strict management controls to ensure that all possible steps were taken to process cases rapidly and efficiently. This evaluation of the night courts examines how they have affected case processing times, disposition patterns, and sentencing practices in drug-related cases. The data indicate that night courts dramatically reduced the processing time of drug cases. The plea rate in these cases increased significantly while dismissal and bench trial rates declined. The percentage of convicted offenders sentenced to probation increased, while the percentage sentenced to prison decreased, and length of probation terms also fell. On the negative side, fewer defendants in night court were represented by private attorneys and the trial rate decreased. However, attorneys filed as many motions on behalf of their clients as attorneys in day courts, and the rate of drug treatment referrals remained constant. 1 figure, 3 tables, 1 note, and 9 references