NCJ Number
157463
Date Published
1995
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This report reviews major international developments in the management of criminal justice, including the privatization of crime control and other recent legal and technological developments in justice systems that have an impact on policing, prosecution, courts, prisons, and the role of legal defense.
Abstract
A section on criminal justice and police systems discusses the traditional view of the criminal justice process, alternative approaches, and the privatization option. This is followed by a review of prosecutorial systems and policy, with attention to independence and accountability, advocacy of victim views, and the prosecution of political and commercial figures. A section on courts addresses judicial independence, mediation and conciliation, complex criminal trials, and pretrial detention. The discussion of corrections issues focuses on prison overcrowding, minorities in prison, health issues, inmate programs, community involvement, and electronic surveillance. In discussing the role of lawyers the report focuses on the defense of the accused, law reform and advocacy for change, and ombudsmen and administrative review. Another major section of the report considers international cooperation in system management and information technology. Issues discussed in this section are the accountability of criminal justice operations, the measurement of crime and criminal justice operations, a global view of crime, evaluation of programs and procedures, privacy and surveillance, and information exchange and networking. In conclusion, the report notes that a theme of the issues raised is the widespread need to improve the level of professionalism, information gathering, evaluation, technical cooperation, and training in the operation of criminal justice systems throughout the world. Areas listed as in need of attention are the integration of law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies, improvement in police-community relations, the privatization of some law enforcement and justice functions, the creation of more cooperative criminal justice systems, the use of alternative dispute resolution procedures, and determination of appropriate levels of independence and accountability for prosecutors. 30 notes