NCJ Number
55554
Date Published
1978
Length
31 pages
Annotation
INFORMATION ON JUROR YIELD AND UTILIZATION, PANEL USAGE, AND COST ANALYSIS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, JURY SYSTEM FOR 1978.
Abstract
IN ADDITION TO PRESENTING A COMPILATION OF STATISTICAL DATA AND GRAPHICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF JURY SYSTEM INDICES, THIS REPORT ANALYZES THE TRENDS SHOWN IN 1978. THE AIMS OF THE REPORT ARE TO AID IN UNDERSTANDING HOW DALLAS COUNTY'S JURY SYSTEM FUNCTIONS, TO REVEAL ITS OPERATIONAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, AND TO COMPARE THE SYSTEM'S OPERATION IN 1978 WITH 1977 OPERATIONS. ALL MAJOR INDICATORS OF EFFICIENCY IN JURY OPERATIONS IMPROVED DURING 1978. JUROR UTILIZATION REACHED AN ALL-TIME HIGH OF 84.9 PERCENT. THIS MEANS THAT APPROXIMATELY 85 PERCENT OF ALL PERSONS IN THE CENTRAL JURY ROOM WERE DISPATCHED TO A COURTROOM DURING 1978, A RATE WHICH COMPARES FAVORABLY WITH OTHER JURY SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ANOTHER MAJOR INDEX USED TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE JURY SYSTEM IS YIELD (THE PERCENT OF THOSE SUMMONED WHO APPEAR FOR JURY DUTY). THE AVERAGE JUROR YIELD ROSE TO 39.2 PERCENT IN 1978. THIS INDICATES PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE 1-DAY/1-TRIAL CONCEPT. BY REDUCING THE TERM OF SERVICE, JURY DUTY HAS BECOME LESS BURDENSOME, CREATING A GREATER WILLINGNESS AMONG CITIZENS TO SERVE. ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS TRANSLATE INTO A COST SAVINGS; FOR EXAMPLE, THE AVERAGE COST PER JUROR IN 1976 WAS $10.34; IN 1977 THE COST DROPPED TO $8.40 PER JUROR, AND IN 1978 IT WAS FURTHER REDUCED TO $7.89. THIS AMOUNTS TO A 24-PERCENT COST REDUCTION OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS. WITH THE CREATION OF NINE NEW COURTS DURING THE PAST 2 YEARS, THE NUMBER OF PERSONS NEEDED FOR JURY SERVICE HAS INCREASED BY 21 PERCENT; YET TOTAL JURY FEES PAID ACTUALLY DECREASED DURING THIS TIME. A FULL COST ANALYSIS IS PRESENTED. INSTITUTING THE STANDBY JURY SYSTEM IN FEBRUARY, 1979, SHOULD HELP TO ACHIEVE EVEN GREATER COST EFFICIENCY BY FURTHER IMPROVING THE JUROR UTILIZATION RATE. THIS PLAN WILL ENABLE THE JURY SYSTEM TO RESPOND TO THE VARIABILITY IN COURT NEEDS BY RANDOMLY SELECTING A NUMBER OF PROSPECTIVE JURORS TO RECEIVE STANDBY JURY SUMMONS WHICH PLACES THEM 'ON CALL.' CHARTS AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)