NCJ Number
100270
Date Published
1985
Length
34 pages
Annotation
These five proceedings reports examine appeal procedures, career criminal programs, false identification, and the exclusionary rule.
Abstract
The first report discusses the costs and delays associated with criminal appeals and proposes 11 strategies for more efficient case processing that would still provide protection of defendants' constitutional rights. The next paper describes various career criminal programs and their advantages, such as early identification of career criminals, reductions in plea bargaining, speedier trials, and selective incapacitation. It concludes that vertical prosecution programs are working well. The third paper examines the costs associated with the use of falsified identification documents (e.g., birth certificates, immigration documents, social security cards) and recommends greater emphasis on the investigation and prosecution of false-identification crimes. The final paper recommends the abolishment of the exclusionary rule, which permits criminals to go free in cases involving procedural defects, and suggests legislative action that would aid in effecting such an end. Proposed legislation and U.S. Supreme and State court decisions on the exclusionary rule are appended.