NCJ Number
79076
Date Published
1981
Length
81 pages
Annotation
Findings are summarized from a study of the Franklin County, Ohio, juvenile branch of the domestic relations division of the court of common pleas, the Franklin County Municipal Court, and the county's general division of the court of common pleas.
Abstract
This is the third court-watching study undertaken by Court Watching Project, Inc. volunteer observers from the community collected information on juvenile court cases at 612 preliminary hearings, 293 trials, and 363 disposition hearings. A total of 1,147 misdemeanor cases were observed in the municipal court, along with felony cases at bond and preliminary hearings. In the common pleas court, 852 felony cases consisting of 1,309 charges were observed. Juvenile court cases were found to be handled efficiently and with care, despite an inadequate facility. The seriousness of the charge and the number and nature of prior contacts with the court were found to be the factors most affecting final dispositions. In the municipal court, the majority of the misdemeanor cases were found to be settled at the arraignment, and many of the delays were caused by the defendant's request for a continuance or the defendant's failure to appear for a court proceeding. Most cases were disposed of with a guilty plea, and sentences were most often fines. In the municipal and common pleas courts, it was found that an average of 70 days was spent on the preliminary stages of a felony case before it could be set for trial, and bond did not change significantly during those stages. Findings suggest that the county prosecutor's office, rather than the judge in municipal court or the Franklin County grand jury, provided the review of cases to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the case as a felony. In municipal court, the seriousness of the charge was the most significant factor affecting the amount and type of bond set in felony cases. Most cases were settled through plea negotiation. Tabular data, figures, and footnotes are provided; the names of judges and referees observed in each court are appended.