Cutback Management and Serviceability in Criminal Adjudication Systems

• NCJ Number: 92956
• Author(s): J E Jacoby
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 20 pages
• Grant Number(s): 78-NI-AX-0091; 80-IJ-CX-0032
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Jefferson Institute for Justice Studies
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Paper presented at the American Society for Public Administration.

Annotation

In order to maintain productivity in the face of anti-inflation cutbacks, public service agencies need a means of measuring whether or not a service is adequate. This paper examines the problem of measuring the adequacy of services from prosecution defense agencies.

Abstract

It presents research related to the quantification of the concept of serviceability. Local governments must serviceability. Local governments must consider these new issues when faced with the problem of how much to cut their budgets. The need for its measurement increases as cutback management becomes more fully entrenched. Two conditions indicate adequate service from prosecutor's or public defender's offices: (1) the agency can dispose of its input in a timely manner; and (2) the dispositions are at least minimally acceptable by the chief prosecutor or public defender. Conversely, there are two indicators of inadequate service; (1) the caseload is so cumbersome it cannot be disposed of and (2) the distribution of its dispositions does not correspond to the urgency of the cases. Based on current levels of research and knowledge, however, it is difficult to specify further quantitative and qualitative measures. Eight notes are provided.