NCJ Number
57336
Journal
Judges' Journal Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Dated: (FALL 1976) Pages: 78-81,103
Date Published
1976
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE GROWING INTEREST OF STATES IN PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR JUDGES IS PERHAPS AN INDICATION OF THEIR AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL JUDICIAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR CAREER JUDGES.
Abstract
FAIR AND EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IS DEPENDENT ON THE QUALITY OF JUDGES AND THIS QUALITY, IN TURN, CAN BE ENHANCED BY EFFECTIVE JUDICIAL EDUCATION BEYOND INITIAL LAWYER TRAINING. ACCORDING TO A RECENT STATE COURTS SURVEY, 45 STATES PRESENTLY PROVIDE IN-STATE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR JUDGES (3 HAVE MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS) THAT GENERALLY FALL WITHIN TWO BROAD CATEGORIES: ORIENTATION AND TRAINING OF NEW JUDGES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION OF MORE EXPERIENCED JUDGES. MOST PROGRAMS HAVE RELIED ON TEACHING METHODS OF STRAIGHT INFORMATIONAL LECTURES AND SOCRATIC MANIPULATION OF JUDICIAL THOUGHT IN SEMINAR PROGRAMS. FUTURE PROGRAMS SHOULD FOCUS ON NEWER INDEPENDENT LEARNING CONCEPTS THAT HAVE PROVED EFFECTIVE IN ADULT EDUCATION, SHOULD BE DEVELOPED WITHIN THE STATE, SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY STATE FUNDING, AND SHOULD EVOLVE FOLLOWING A DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENT RESOURCE STATUS AND CAPABILITY OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO OPERATE JUDICIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. THOSE STATES THAT CANNOT MEET THESE JUDICIAL EDUCATION NEEDS SHOULD MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE USE OF NATIONAL JUDICIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. AS THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS GROWS AND IS WRITTEN UP, STATES SHOULD DEVELOP PLANS TO COVER ALL AREAS OF PRACTICAL CONCERN TO JUDGES SO THAT A BODY OF REFERENCE AND TEXT BOOKS CAN BE BUILT. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)