NCJ Number
141642
Date Published
1993
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This examination of case processing in New South Wales (Australia) district criminal courts for January 1990 to June 1992 examines sources of trial court delay, case backlog, trends in district criminal court delays, and trial court delay reduction options.
Abstract
Despite the building of new court facilities and the appointment of additional judges, there has been little improvement in the delay between registration and finalization for cases requiring a trial in the district criminal court. The number of matters registered for trial has decreased substantially since the New South Wales Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions assumed responsibility for conduct of the prosecution case in committal proceedings. It is unclear at this stage, however, whether and to what extent the decrease in trial registrations will produce a drop in trial court delay. Moreover, if crime rates or police clearance rates increase, the downward trend in trial registrations may be reversed. This indicates the need for additional measures for addressing trial court delay. There are three broad classes of strategy that may be used to reduce trial court delay. In the first class are those strategies designed to reduce the underlying demand for trial court time, either by reducing the number of trials that must be held or reducing the average duration of trials. In the second class are those strategies designed to increase the effective use of existing trial court capacity. In the third class are strategies designed to expand trial court capacity. Specific measures in each class of strategy are described. 5 figures and 16 notes