NCJ Number
136103
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 71 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring-Summer 1991) Pages: 30-43
Date Published
1991
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Using California jail lawsuits as examples, this study identifies and discusses two key features of jail litigation: how variations in court intervention relate to jail litigation outcomes and how court intervention creates adaptations by local criminal justice agencies.
Abstract
Data were collected through coding forms that measured characteristics of court intervention, an examination of court documents, and on-site interviews conducted in three counties with local criminal justice and government officials. Six major dimensions of jail litigation were analyzed: level of court, number and type of complaints, number and type of original orders and modifications, duration of lawsuits, use of contempt orders, and use of special masters. There was great variation among the counties on these six dimensions. Two major adaptations to jail litigation by country criminal justice systems were found: system expansion and increased use of pre-trial and post-trial alternatives. 1 table, 5 notes, and 34 references