NCJ Number
80346
Date Published
1981
Length
96 pages
Annotation
This report describes the findings and recommendations of a technical assistance team's visit to the offices of the State Attorney for Cook County, Illinois which focused on problems related to the felony review unit, the victim/witness assistance program, and the juvenile division.
Abstract
During a 3-day visit in June 1981, the team interviewed staff members and observed the office's operations. An overview of the State Attorney's office covers its staffing patterns, organizational divisions, and responsibilities. An analysis of the felony review unit notes that it performs an investigative function rather than the traditional screening role involving a wide exercise of discretion at the charging stage. In Cook County, this unit reviews the facts as the police present them, offers assistance relative to witnesses and evaluating physical evidence, and then charges in accordance with what the facts support. The review team was unable to discover a formal written document establishing the policies of the State's Attorney and suggested that such guidelines be developed. A review of the paperwork flow found considerable duplication, much of it being written out in longhand by assistant prosecutors. The juvenile division has an excessive caseload which results in inadequate case and witness preparation as well as staff burnout. To alleviate this situation, the technical assistance team suggested increasing the legal staff and screening or diverting more cases from the division. Other proposals addressed management strategies, enlarged office space, and technological support systems. The victim/witness assistance program is not fully operational, although plans have been formulated and staff hired. An assessment of these plans considers notification policies, the computer management information system, and interactions between prosecutors, witnesses, and the program. The appendixes provide biographies of the team members, examples of policy guidelines on warrants, and forms that would reduce duplication in the felony review unit.