NCJ Number
100549
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: (1986) Pages: 9-23
Date Published
1985
Length
15 pages
Annotation
With increasing case loads, and a concomitant delay in the processing of cases, scholars have become concerned with delay in criminal courts.
Abstract
Because delay is a subjective term fraught with negative connotations, this study uses the concept case-processing time -the amount of time elapsed between arrest and case disposition. This somewhat more standardized measure allows meaningful comparisons across jurisdictions. In this article case-processing time across five United States jurisdictions is examined in the light of three general categories of factors. Case processing time in each city studied was found to be somewhat different with Atlanta, Ga., and Oakland, Calif., having the shortest and longest case-processing times, respectively. In terms of the factors examined, there was no consistent relationship found between either type of offense and case-processing time or trial rate and case-processing time. There was, however, evidence that different types of pleas required different processing times. Pleas required the least amount of time and jury trials the most. (Author abstract)