NCJ Number
15691
Date Published
1974
Length
40 pages
Annotation
AN EVALUATION OF A PROJECT TO REDUCE NO-BILL AND DISMISSAL RATES IN DALLAS COUNTY GRAND JURY ACTIONS THAT WERE CAUSED BY POLICE INTESTIGATIVE AND REPORTING PROCEDURES.
Abstract
THE LEGAL AIDES FOR POLICE IMPACT PROJECT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE PREVENTION, DETECTION, INVESTIGATION, AND PROSECUTION OF STRANGER-TO STRANGER CRIMES BY INTERFACING THE POLICE FUNCTION MORE EFFICIENTLY WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM - SPECIFICALLY THE OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY - AND TO DIRECTLY REDUCE SUCH CRIMES BY LEGAL AID AND ADVICE TO EFOFRCEMENT PERSONNEL. MORE THAN 2,500 POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BY PROJECT ATTORNEYS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE TEXAS PENAL CODE, FAMILY CODE, AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND DANGEROUS DRUG ACTS. THE EVALUATION INDICATES THAT THE NO-BILL RATE WAS REDUCED ALTHOUGH THE DISMISSAL RATE WAS NOT. THE EVALUATORS POINT OUT THAT NOT ALL NO-BILLS AND DISMISSALS ARE GENERATED BY POLICE, HOWEVER, THESE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE CONTROLLABLE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. CONSEQUENTLY, THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE BEING RE-EVALUATED.