NCJ Number
175926
Date Published
1997
Length
55 pages
Annotation
This report describes the activities of New York's Community Dispute Resolution Centers during April 1996 through March 1997; this program is in its 16th year and is available as an alternative to formal court proceedings in every citizen in the 62 New York counties.
Abstract
A total of 41,392 cases involving 91,455 people were screened as appropriate for direct services by the centers. The centers conducted 23,173 conciliations, mediations, and arbitrations of these cases; these activities served 51,659 people. Parties entered into voluntary agreements in 77 percent of the matters that reached the mediation stage. Thirty-nine percent of the referrals to the centers came from the courts, 25 percent came from public and private agencies, 17 percent came from law enforcement, 8 percent were walk-in complaints, and 4 percent came from schools. The most common relationship between parties was client- agency. Twenty-nine percent of the cases involved allegations of breach of contract; 23 percent involved alleged harassment; 8 percent were interpersonal disputes; 8 percent were custody, support, or visitation disputes; 7 percent were housing disputes; 2 percent involved assault; and 5 percent were personal or real property disputes. A total of 12,723 cases involved a single hearing. Appended tables, figures, and program addresses