NCJ Number
58558
Date Published
1979
Length
111 pages
Annotation
THE DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN, PROJECT FOCUSING ON JURY SELECTION SYSTEM MODIFICATION, REDUCTION OF JURY PANEL SIZE, MODERNIZATION OF PROCEDURES, AND IMPROVEMENT OF JURY SERVICE IS DESCRIBED IN THIS FINAL REPORT.
Abstract
THE LEAA-FUNDED PROJECT BEGAN IN 1977 AND LASTED 18 MONTHS. THE PRIMARY GOAL WAS TO DEVELOP AN IMPROVED JURY SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES MAXIMUM RESPONSIVENESS TO THE COURT AND TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AT MINIMUM COST TO THE COMMUNITY. A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR, A CITIZEN EVALUATION COMMITTEE, AND A WORK STUDY GROUP WERE INVOLVED. SPECIFIC PROGRAM GOALS WERE TO INCREASE THE DEFENSIBILITY OF JUROR SELECTION METHODS, INCREASE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN JURY SERVICE, IMPROVE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE JURY SYSTEM TO THE COURT'S NEEDS, REDUCE THE ECONOMIC BURDEN UPON THE INDIVIDUAL CALLED TO SERVE, AND DECREASE COURT AND COMMUNITY COSTS OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM THROUGH INTRODUCTION OF UPDATED DATA PROCESSING TECHNIQUES. THE IMPROVE SYSTEM WOULD BE ONE IN WHICH SELECTION SOURCE LISTS WOULD INCLUDE AT LEAST 85 PERCENT OF THOSE ELIGIBLE TO SERVE, FROM WHICH THE YIELD OF JURORS IN QUALIFICATIONS AND SUMMONING COMBINED WOULD EXCEED 40 PERCENT. TO ACHIEVE PROGRAM AIMS, STUDY FOCUSED ON THE NINE ELEMENTS SET FORTH IN A GUIDE TO JUROR USAGE INCLUDING SELECTION METHODS, RESPONSIVENESS TO COURT NEEDS, JURY SERVICE METHODS, RANDOMNESS, COST AND CONDITIONS, CITIZEN AWARENESS, PAPER WORK, STATUTES, AND THE JURY SYSTEM PLAN. REGARDING SELECTION AND QUALIFYING METHODS, TELEPHONE BOOKS, CITY DIRECTORIES, AND DRIVERS' LICENSE LISTS WERE USED IN ADDITION TO VOTER LISTS, WITH EXCELLENT RESULTS. SUMMONING METHODS WERE IMPROVED THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXTENSIVE QUESTIONNAIRE AND APPROPRIATE GUIDELINES. DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, THE PROJECT DETERMINED THAT THE AVERAGE COURT USED 26 OR MORE PEOPLE OVER 56 PERCENT OF THE TIME, WHILE THIS SAME AVERAGE COURT USED 26 OR LESS PEOPLE MORE THAN 94 PERCENT OF THE TIME. THE PROJECT THEREFORE DEVELOPED A FORMULA TO BE USED IN DETERMINING THE SIZE OF THE PANELS TO CALL EACH WEEK AS WELL AS FOR THE PERIOD OF SERVICE, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TRIALS SCHEDULED. THE NUMBER OF HOURS A JUROR SPENDS IN THE COURTHOUSE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 4-WEEK JURY TERM. CHARTS AND EXHIBITS ARE PROVIDED IN THE REPORT. (LWM)