NCJ Number
64687
Date Published
1978
Length
154 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT, EMPHASIZING LEAA-GRANT FUNDING, SUMMARIZES THE EXPERIENCES OF 50 STATES IN USING FEDERAL FUNDS FOR STATE COURT IMPROVEMENT FOR THE PERIOD 1968 TO 1978.
Abstract
THE REPORT IS CONFINED TO TRUE COURT PROJECTS, NARROWLY DEFINED, AND CONSTITUTES A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF THE IMPACT UPON STATE COURT SYSTEMS OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS DURING THE STUDY DECADE. AMONG THE TYPES OF FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAMS, LEAA GRANTS HAVE BEEN THE MOST WIDELY USED BY STATE COURT SYSTEMS AND HAVE HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT UPON THEM. DATA ON LEAA FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY 31 STATES AND IS ANALYZED IN DETAIL FOR 6 STATES-ALABAMA, CALIFORNIA, GEORGIA, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON. ALTHOUGH LEAA'S GRANTS TO STATE COURT SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN PLACED AT THE 715-MILLION-DOLLAR LEVEL IN THE PAST, THE AMOUNT REPORTED BY COURT SYSTEMS THEMSELVES IS CALCULATED AT 229 MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE 10-YEAR PERIOD. STATE COURTS DID NOT REPORT ANY SERIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE BY FEDERAL FUNDING ADMINISTRATORS, BUT SEVERAL STATES WERE WILLING TO TERMINATE THEIR USE OF THE PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE COST, DELAYS, AND UNNECESSARY PAPERWORK INVOLVED. NEVERTHELESS, LEAA HAS BEEN THE MOST POWERFUL IMPETUS FOR COURT IMPROVEMENT DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, AND SIGNIFICANT JUDICIAL CHANGES HAVE RESULTED IN MANY STATES. NEXT TO LEAA GRANTS, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION GRANTS WERE THE MOST WIDELY USED, BUT THEY WERE FAR BEHIND LEAA'S TOTALS AND GENERALLY TARGETED FOR TRAFFIC COURT IMPROVEMENT. OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS USED BY STATE COURTS WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TOWARD COURT IMPROVEMENT. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF AID FROM PRIVATE SOURCES WAS MINIMAL. THIS STUDY BUILDS UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED IN TWO PRIOR REPORTS FUNDED BY LEAA: THE 1975 REPORT OF THE SPECIAL STUDY TEAM AND THE 1976 ANALYSIS OF LEAA BLACK GRANTS. APPENDIXES PRESENT THE METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY AND CHARTS SHOWING THE EXPERIENCES OF 25 STATES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED - MJW).