NCJ Number
63219
Journal
Popular Government Volume: 44 Issue: 4 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 18-23
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
AN AMENDED NORTH CAROLINA STATUTE NOW AUTHORIZES THE USE OF COMPUTERS IN THE JURY SELECTION PROCESS, AND THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM HAS PROVED EFFICIENT AND ECONOMICAL.
Abstract
A COMPUTER-AIDED METHOD FOR SELECTING AND SUMMONING JURORS, FIRST USED IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY, RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS, INCREASED EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY, AND REDUCED INCONVENIENCE TO JURORS. THREE FORMERLY MANUAL, TIME-CONSUMING PROCESSES ARE NOW COMPUTERIZED: (1) PREPARATION OF THE MASTER LIST, (2) SELECTION OF THE JURY PANEL, (3) AND JUROR SUMMONING. THE NEW METHOD PRODUCED SUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF JURORS ADEQUATELY REPRESENTING A CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY AT A COST REDUCTION OF 30 PERCENT IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME FORMERLY REQUIRED. AS A RESULT, PRODUCTIVITY HAS INCREASED IN THE OFFICES OF THE SHERIFF, THE CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT, AND THE REGISTER OF DEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE MASTER LIST OF JURORS WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED AUTOMATICALLY, THEREBY MAINTAINING ITS QUALITY. THE JUROR SERVICE RECORD MAINTAINED BY THE COMPUTER WILL INSURE THAT JURORS ARE NOT SUMMONED MORE THAN ONCE IN 2 YEARS, AND DISQUALIFIED JURORS WILL BE PURGED FROM THE LIST. OVERALL, COMPUTER-AIDED OPERATIONS HAVE IMPROVED THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE COURTS AND HAVE ENCOURAGED PLANNING FOR TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE SYSTEM. TABULAR DATA, SAMPLE FORMS, AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)