NCJ Number
52359
Date Published
1978
Length
65 pages
Annotation
THE GENERAL PUBLIC (A SAMPLE OF 1,913 PERSONS) AND 194 JUDGES, 317 LAWYERS, AND 278 COMMUNITY LEADERS WERE SURVEYED ON CONFIDENCE IN COURTS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS, COURT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, AND COURT REFORM.
Abstract
TWO QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED TO CONDUCT PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH THE SAMPLE, ONE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE OTHER FOR THE REMAINING GROUPS. THE RESPONSES WERE ANALYZED USING CROSS-BREAKS BY DEMOGRAPHIC AND ATTITUDINAL VARIABLES AND MULTIVARIATE TECHNIQUES. SURVEY RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS LOW CONFIDENCE IN THE STATE AND LOCAL COURTS (37 PERCENT ARE DISSATISFIED WITH COURT PERFORMANCE), AND RANK THEM LOWER IN EFFICIENCY AND CONFIDENCE THAN MANY OTHER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. THIS VIEW IS ALSO HELD BY COMMUNITY LEADERS. JUDGES AND LAWYERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE A GENERALLY HIGH CONFIDENCE IN COURTS (63 PERCENT AND 45 PERCENT RESPECTIVELY), AND PERCEIVE LESS NEED FOR REFORM THAN THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE PUBLIC'S CRITICISM IS BASED MOSTLY ON PERCEPTIONS OF COURTS' PROTECTION OF SOCIETY, EQUALITY OR FAIRNESS, AND THE QUALITY OF PERFORMANCE BY COURT PERSONNEL. THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE OF AND EXPERIENCE WITH COURTS IS NOT HIGH, BUT THOSE PERSONS WHO HAVE HAD COURT EXPERIENCE OR HAVE A BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF COURTS EVIDENCE A LOWER DEGREE OF SATISFACTION WITH THEM. THERE IS A HIGH DEGREE OF CONCERN FOR COURTS AMONG THE PUBLIC AND INDICATIONS OF A HIGH LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR COURT REFORM (74 PERCENT BELIEVE MORE TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE SPENT TO OBTAIN THE BEST JUDGES.) ONLY 11 PERCENT OF THE PUBLIC, HOWEVER, FAVOR DETERMINATE SENTENCES WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE JUDICIAL DISCRETION IN SENTENCING. EXTENSIVE TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED, AS WELL AS AN INDEX TO THE TABLES AND REFERENCES. (DAG)