NCJ Number
27417
Date Published
1975
Length
28 pages
Annotation
AN ASSESSMENT OF THIS PROJECT WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO COMPLETE PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION REPORTS (PSI) FOR THE SUPERIOR COURT FROM REFERRAL THROUGH TYPING AND SENTENCING WITHIN A MAXIMUM OF THIRTY DAYS.
Abstract
THE EVALUATION SOUGHT TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: WAS THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT REALISTIC; HOW MANY PSI REPORTS WERE PREPARED; WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF ADDITIONAL FEDERALLY FUNDED STAFF; AND WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF THE PROJECT ON SENTENCING IN THE ADJUDICATORY PROCESS. THE EVALUATION APPROACH WAS TO ANALYZE BOTH PROJECT AND PSI OFFICE RECORDS RELATIVE TO THE NUMBER OF REPORTS PREPARED AND THE LENGTH OF TIME USED TO COMPLETE THEM, AND TO INTERVIEW COURT PERSONNEL ASSOCIATED WITH THE PSI PROCESS. THE EVALUATION REVEALED THAT THE ORIGINAL GOAL WAS UNREALISTIC, AND IT WAS MODIFIED AS FOLLOWS: TO COMPLETE PSI REPORTS FROM REFERRAL THROUGH TYPING WITHIN 30 DAYS. IT WAS FOUND THAT 75 REPORTS WERE WRITTEN, AND 512 REPORTS WERE TRANSCRIBED. WHILE THE MODIFIED 30 DAY GOAL WAS NOT ENTIRELY ACHIEVED, PSI REPORT COMPLETION TIME WAS HALVED, FROM 76.9 DAYS TO 40.7 DAYS. A BACKLOG OF CASES WAITING TO BE SENTENCED DID NOT OCCUR DUE TO THE INCREASED NUMBER OF PSI REPORTS. WRITING AND TYPING TIME FOR REPORTS WAS REPLACED BY INCLUDING LESS NARRATIVE IN THE PSI REPORTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)