NCJ Number
55836
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY OF THE CRIMINAL DIVISION OF THE DISTRICT COURT IN DENVER, COLO., WHICH EXAMINED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR IMPROVING COURT UTILIZATION.
Abstract
THE THREE MAJOR PHASES OF DATA COLLECTION WERE AS FOLLOWS: (1) OBSERVATION OF ALL COURT PROCEEDINGS IN EACH OF THE SIX CRIMINAL DIVISION COURTROOMS FOR A PERIOD OF 3 WEEKS, WITH DATA COLLECTED FOR EACH COURT EVENT, INCLUDING TIME SPANS; (2) A REVIEW OF ALL CRIMINAL COURT MINUTES FOR AN 8-WEEK PERIOD, WHICH INCLUDED COLLECTION OF DATA ABOUT ALL COURT PROCEEDINGS BY TYPE AND DATE FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED EVENTS; AND (3) A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF 1,538 CRIMINAL CASES FILED FROM JANUARY 1 TO JUNE 19, 1975, USING CASE FILES AS A DATA SOURCE TO RECORD ALL EVENTS SPECIFIC TO EACH CASE, INCLUDING DATE AND TYPE OF EVENT. IN ADDITION, JUDGES WERE INTERVIEWED TO COLLECT EXPERT OPINION DATA ABOUT COURT OPERATIONS. TIME-CONSUMING EVENTS IDENTIFIED WERE SENTENCE RECONSIDERATION, BOND REDUCTION HEARINGS, GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS, AND HEARINGS ON COURT MOTIONS. SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING THE TIME INVOLVED IN THESE PROCEDURES ARE OFFERED. ANOTHER MAJOR PROBLEM CATEGORY WAS FOUND TO BE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT SCHEDULED EVENTS OCCURING AND OCCURING ON TIME. REASONS FOR DELAYS IN TRIAL AND NONTRIAL MATTERS ARE IDENTIFIED AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THESE AREAS ARE PROVIDED. ONE REASON CITED FOR THE UNNECESSARY DELAYS BOTH WITH TRIAL AND NONTRIAL MATTERS WAS COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE OFFICERS OF THE COURT AND THE COURT SUPPORT PERSONNEL. A SECOND PROBLEM RELATED TO EFFICIENCY OF COURTROOM UTILIZATION. IT WAS APPARENT THAT DELAYS AND SCHEDULING PROBLEMS WERE CAUSED BY COURT PERSONNEL. ANOTHER MAJOR CATEGORY OF PROBLEMS RELATES TO EXISTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES; FOR EXAMPLE, AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME IS USED IN VOIR DIRE, BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF PREEMPTORY CHALLENGES ALLOWED. ALSO, THE PRESENT CASE ASSIGNMENT PROCEDURE, ALTHOUGH EQUITABLE, DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR CASELOAD DIFFERENCES AND BACKLOG OVERTIME. THE RESEARCH RESULTS AND ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT ARE CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED WITH THE JUDGES. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)