NCJ Number
869
Date Published
1971
Length
83 pages
Annotation
FIELD INVESTIGATIONS ON ONE FACET OF COURT DELAY IN HONOLULU, PHOENIX, AND LOS ANGELES.
Abstract
THE PROJECT HAS CONSIDERED STANDARDS OF TIMELINESS IN DISPOSITION, AS WELL AS DIFFERENT METHODS OF CALENDARING. FACTORS THAT AFFECT DISPOSITION TIME HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND PROBLEMS IN EVALUATING CALENDARING HAVE BEEN ANALYZED. THESE INCLUDE THE NUMBER AND VARIETY OF FACTORS THAT AFFECT DISPOSITION TIME, DIFFICULTY IN MEASURING THESE FACTORS, THE QUALITY OF COURT RECORDS, AND DUPLICATION OF TIME DATA DUE TO RELATED CASES. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN CONCERNED WITH GATHERING ADDITIONAL DATA- DATA THAT ARE NEEDED BECAUSE COMPARATIVE STUDIES ARE RARE, EXPERT OPINION IS INSUFFICIENTLY UNIFORM TO JUSTIFY THE SELECTION OF ONE CALENDAR SYSTEM OVER ANOTHER, AND MANY ARGUMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ARE NEITHER COMPREHENSIVE NOR SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. TWO ECONOMICAL APPROACHES TO ANALYSIS OF DISPOSITION TIMES HAVE BEEN EXAMINED - AUTOMATED DATA ANALYSIS AND SAMPLING BY TYPE OF CRIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)