DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY AS A METHOD OF ORGANIZATIONAL EVALUATION - A STUDY OF THE DC PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE 1963-1974

• NCJ Number: 53964
• Author(s): J SUSMAN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 12 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION, WASHINGTON, DC, FEBRUARY 1977

Annotation

A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF LEADERSHIP STYLES AND GOALS IS USED IN EVALUATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE.

Abstract

THE CONCEPTS OF PARETO AND OTHER SCHOLARS WHO BUILT UPON PARETO'S THEORIES ARE DISCUSSED AS A BASIS FOR STRUCTURING AN EVALUATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE FOR THE PERIOD 1963-1974. THE FOCUS IS ON THE NATURE AND GOALS OF LEADERSHIP IN AN ORGANIZATION OVER TIME, BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT THIS IS THE CRUCIAL FACTOR IN DETERMINING THE EVOLUTION OF THE STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONAL EMPHASIS OF AN ORGANIZATION. PARETO DIVIDES LEADERS INTO TWO GENERAL CATEGORIES: 'FOXES,' WHO ARE ORIENTED TOWARD INNOVATION, AND 'LIONS,' WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH ORGANIZATIONAL SURVIVAL. PARETO THEORIZED THAT THESE TWO TYPES OF LEADERS GENERALLY ALTERNATELY FOLLOW ONE ANOTHER IN THE CYCLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP. IN TESTING THIS THEORY IN AN EVALUATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE, DATA WERE GATHERED FROM ORGANIZATIONAL DOCUMENTS AND INTERVIEWS WITH EXPERT INFORMANTS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE EARLIEST LEADERSHIP OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AGENCY IN THE EARLY 1960'S SOUGHT TO IMPLEMENT THE IDEOLOGY OF THE PERIOD INTO THE FUNCTIONS OF THE AGENCY. THE MAJOR INNOVATIVE THEME INVOLVED AN ATTEMPT TO ABOLISH PLEA BARGAINING AND PROVIDE ADVERSARIAL TRIALS WITH QUALITY DEFENSE FOR THE POOR. DURING THE FIRST LEADERSHIP PERIOD, THE YEARS OF THE 'FOX' FROM 1963 TO 1965, THE AGENCY'S SUCCESS RATE IN FELONY TRIALS WAS RATHER LOW, ABOUT 22 PERCENT, AND THE PLEA-BARGAINING RATE IN SUCH CASES WAS ABOUT 47 PERCENT. IN ACCORD WITH PARETO'S THEORY, A FOX WAS FOLLOWED BY A LION (1966-1968), WHO DEEMPHASIZED REDUCTION IN THE PLEA-BARGAINING RATE IN THE INTEREST OF REDUCING THE FELONY TRIAL CONVICTION RATE AND THUS INCREASE THE CONFIDENCE OF CLIENTS IN THE SYSTEM. IN THESE YEARS, PLEA BARGAINING INCREASED TO ABOUT 52 PERCENT, AND THE WINNING OF FELONY TRIALS INCREASED TO ABOUT 35 PERCENT. THE CYCLE WAS REPEATED IN THE NEXT TWO PERIODS, CONFIRMING PARETO'S CYCLICAL THEORY OF LEADERSHIP. BASIC POLICIES, BOTH MAJOR AND MINOR, WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE FIRST LEADER, A FOX. THE LION THAT FOLLOWED TENDED TO EMPHASIZE THE LESS INNOVATIVE POLICIES OF THE FIRST LEADER WHILE DEEMPHASIZING THE MORE REFORMIST GOALS IN THE INTEREST OF USING THE SYSTEM TO WIN MORE FELONY TRIALS. DATA DERIVED FROM THE STUDY ARE INCLUDED, ALONG WITH A LIST OF REFERENCES. (RCB)