Dispute Mediation - Evaluating the Court-Sponsored Model (From Pretrial Services Annual Journal, Volume 5, P 116-133, 1982, Elizabeth Gaynes, ed. - See NCJ-89690)

• NCJ Number: 89697
• Author(s): P J Weber; P G Laemmle; R Weis; J Kempf
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 18 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Available on microfiche as NCJ-89690

Annotation

The Jefferson County Dispute Mediation Program (Kentucky), an experimental project to provide an alternative to the formal warrant process in the resolution of interpersonal disputes, is effective and efficient.

Abstract

The time taken to process cases ranges from 7 to 10 days versus 90 days in the district court. The cost for cases diverted from the formal court system is $13.41. The program's main goal is to assist the operation of the district court in processing a large number of potential cases while providing more personalized services to those persons wishing to use the court. Thus, the program provides two distinct functions: (1) intake, interviewing, and screening of citizen complaints and (2) mediation, an attempt at conflict resolution. Cases are channeled into mediation from individuals selecting mediation after discussion with an intake officer, referrals from individual judges, and referral from the bench in the warrant court. For the program's first 30 months, the staff averaged 3.5 interviews each hour (the intake desk was open 102 hours each week). If the cases later diverted by judges are included, 56 percent of all complainants were diverted from the formal system. Of the 15,578 cases scheduled for hearings during this 30-month period, 53 percent (8,360) were actually held. A total of 74 percent of these were resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. Study data, diagrams, and footnotes are included.