FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• NCJ Number: 53623
• Author(s): R TOBIN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 78 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-017-77
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: American University
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PROGRAM MODELS - TRIAL COURT MANAGEMENT SERIES

Annotation

THIS VOLUME OF LEAA'S TRIAL COURT MANAGEMENT SERIES PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH TRIAL COURT STAFF CAN DETERMINE SPECIAL AREAS OR POINTS OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN THEIR COURT SYSTEM.

Abstract

LEAA'S COURT MANAGEMENT PROJECT WAS LAUNCHED IN 1977 TO PROVIDE TRIAL COURT MANAGERS--BOTH JUDGES AND STAFFS--WITH A MANAGEMENT REPORT SERIES ADDRESSING CRITICAL AREAS OF WORKLOAD AND RESOURCES IN AN EFFORT TO ENHANCE FINANCIAL, PERSONNEL, AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT. IN THE FIRST SECTION OF THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT VOLUME, NINE POSSIBLE SOURCES OF FUNDS FOR TRIAL COURT OPERATIONS ARE DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL TYPES OF FUNDS WHICH A COURT MIGHT COLLECT. IN ADDITION TO THESE LEGAL ASPECTS OF A COURT'S FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMAL 'POWER RELATIONSHIPS' BETWEEN FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE DESCRIBED. THE FOLLOWING SECTION OUTLINES THE ELEMENTS OF A TRIAL COURT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND PRESENTS A SERIES OF SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE RANGE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS BEING PERFORMED FOR A SPECIFIC TRIAL COURT AND WHETHER SOME ARE BEING OMITTED OR INCOMPLETELY PERFORMED, WHETHER SOME BEING PERFORMED BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH SHOULD BE UNDER COURT CONTROL, AND WHETHER SOME BEING PERFORMED BY THE COURT SHOULD BE EXPANDED OR BETTER CONTROLLED. THE FINAL SECTION TREATS THE BUDGETING PROCESS, INCLUDING MANY OF THE MANAGEMENT CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY COURT OFFICIALS RELATING TO THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS THEY ENCOUNTER IN THE BUDGETARY PROCESS. AS A FOUNDATION FOR CONSIDERING THE TRIAL COURT BUDGET PROCESS, THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROCESS ARE NOTED; THEN THE ORGANIZATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE VARIABLES AFFECTING THE PROCESS THE MOST ARE DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH THE PRINCIPAL STAGES BY WHICH A COURT MANAGES ITS BUDGET. A DESCRIPTION OF THESE STAGES IS PROVIDED, WITH A DISCUSSION OF SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES SOME COURTS HAVE FOUND EFFECTIVE. ASSORTED GUIDELINES, PERFORMANCE MEASURES, AND FORMS ARE APPENDED. SEE ALSO NCJ-53624, 53625, AND 52653.