Evaluation of Statutory Time Limit Pilot Schemes in the Youth Court

• NCJ Number: 192139
• Author(s): Joanna Shapland; Jennifer Johnstone; Angela Sorsby; Tamsin Stubbing; John Jackson
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 122 pages
• Sale Source: University of Sheffield
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Downloaded 11/16/2001.

Annotation

This report presents the methodology and findings of an evaluation of British statutory-time-limit (STL) pilot schemes in the youth court.

Abstract

The pilot for the evaluation of statutory time limits in the youth court began on November 1, 1999 in 6 pilot areas. STL's differ from previous initiatives to reduce delay, in that each limit applies to each charge or summons for each offense, with the penalty for breach of the initial time limit (ITL) or overall time limit (OTL) being staying of the case, if an extension of the limit has not been granted by the court. There is no penalty for breach of the sentencing time limit. The evaluation of the pilot has been designed for two stages, the first from January 2000 to late 2000, and the second finishing at the end of 2001. This interim report on the first stage of the evaluation includes analysis of a database of the results of all police arrests of young people in the 6 areas (a total of 14,241 arrests) for 6 months from February 1, 2000, and a database of 6,993 court proceedings of all youth cases in the 6 areas that were complete by between May 31, 2000, and July 31, 2000, and which had started by February 1, 2000. It also includes the results of formal interviews with some 165 practitioners from the agencies and courts, observation of cases in court, constant informal interaction with personnel from all six areas, and follow-up time limit appeals and judicial reviews. This report covers the introduction of statutory time limits and initial experiences in operating them. It presents findings on how the initial time limit (from arrest to first appearance in pilot youth court--36 days maximum) has impacted the police; on how the overall time limit (from first appearance in pilot youth court to the first day of trial--maximum 99 days) has impacted the Crown Prosecution Service and the court; and the impact of the sentencing time limit (from conviction to sentence--maximum 29 days). This report also considers the implementation of STL's and the costs and benefits. Extensive tables and figures and 19 references