NCJ Number
194748
Date Published
2001
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This document reviews the State of the Judiciary address before the Indiana General Assembly on January 22, 2001.
Abstract
The three areas where the Indiana courts need to improve upon are computers, counsel, and compensation. There is no central coordination of the way local court data is collected, displayed, and conveyed. The courts are unable to transmit information effectively and efficiently to the State government, local government, law enforcement, or inside the court system itself. A committee known as the Judicial Technology and Automation Committee (JTAC) has been formed and a strategy to correct these problems is being devised. JTAC provides Internet and email access to all judicial officers and elected clerks by providing necessary hardware, software, and funds for Internet service providers. All interested judicial and court personnel wanting to be trained in computer courses will be able to do so through courses offered by Ivy Tech. Electronic legal research capability has been provided to every judicial officer in the State. During the last two years, county commissioners, council members and judges in several counties have decided to upgrade the quality of representation they provide. It is clear that the citizens of Indiana want justice in their criminal courts to be meted out to those who deserve it. Salaries for judges and prosecutors are a priority. Attracting and retaining the kinds of people who will be making crucial decisions requires sufficiently competitive renumeration. Among the new programs in the Indiana court system is a statewide pro se assistance network to provide basic resources to self-represented litigants; court appointed special advocates for children; and three family court pilot projects.