NCJ Number
68353
Date Published
1980
Length
80 pages
Annotation
THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOCUSED STRONG SUPPORT FOR A CENTRALIZED CLEARINGHOUSE FOR STATE ANTITRUST MATERIALS AND RECOMMENDED USE OF A STANDARD INDEX, MICROFORMS, INPUT SELECTIVITY, AND DETAILED COST STUDIES.
Abstract
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE INDEXING OF MATERIALS REPORTED IN COMMITTEE ON THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL (COAG) ANTITRUST BULLETIN, STANDARDIZATION OF PROCEDURES FOR INPUT AND DISSEMINATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE STUDY WHICH PRODUCED THIS REPORT, PREPARED BY COAG, RELIED ON TWO ANTITRUST QUESTIONNAIRES SENT TO STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL OFFICES, DATA FROM A PREVIOUS COAG SURVEY ON USE OF DATA PROCESSING EQUIPMENT IN ATTORNEYS GENERAL'S OFFICES AND ON CASE MANAGEMENT AND DOCKETING PRACTICES, AND INTERVIEWS WITH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PERSONNEL. AN EXAMINATION OF EXIXTING CLEARINGHOUSE ACTIVITIES REVEALED A PRIMARY NEED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEX TO THE ANTITRUST BULLETIN. THE NEED FOR A BRIEF BANK WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH DATA GATHERED ON THE SCOPE OF RELEVANT ACTIVITY, THE ADEQUACY OF EXISTING CLEARINGHOUSE SERVICES, AND ANTICIPATED USE. QUESTIONS IN THE SURVEY ON OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS ENABLE SETTING OF BROAD PARAMETERS FOR ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING A DATA BANK. SURVEY RESPONSES SHOWED A DESIRE FOR A BROAD RANGE OF INPUT DOCUMENTS AND FOR IMPROVED INDEXING. A COST ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT A COMPUTERIZED BRIEF BANK IS UNNECESSARILY COMPLEX AND COSTLY. STRONG INTEREST IS EXPRESSED IN MICROFORMS BECAUSE OF COST AND STORAGE ADVANTAGES. DATA TABLES ARE INCLUDED AND AN ANTITRUST INDEX DEVELOPED BY COAG AS PART OF THE STUDY IS APPENDED.