NCJ Number
46010
Date Published
1977
Length
44 pages
Annotation
AS PART OF A SURVEY OF NEED FOR WORD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, A GENERAL LOOK AT FORMS DESIGN, RECORDKEEPING PROCEDURES, MICROFILMING, AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT LEADS TO SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECORDS MANAGEMENT REFORM.
Abstract
THIS COURTS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT WAS INITIALLY UNDERTAKEN TO ADVISE THE DELAWARE COUNTY (PENN.) COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF WORD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT AND ENTAILED A DEPARTMENT-BY-DEPARTMENT SURVEY OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT. THE CONSULTANTS FOUND APPROPRIATE APPLICATIONS FOR WORD PROCESSING IN THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE, THE JUVENILE DIVISION, THE ORPHAN'S COURT, AND THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION. HOWEVER, ONLY THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE HAS SUFFICIENT NEED TO JUSTIFY A FULL INSTALLATION. THE OTHER DIVISIONS COULD BENEFIT FROM SHARED EQUIPMENT WITH GOOD PERSONNEL UTILIZATION. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE RENT A WORD PROCESSING UNIT FOR 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR AND EVALUATE ITS EFFECTIVENESS. THE OTHER DIVISIONS CONSIDERING SUCH EQUIPMENT SHOULD USE THIS RENTED EQUIPMENT TO EVALUATE THEIR NEED. AT THE SAME TIME, THE COURT SHOULD UNDERTAKE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF FORMS DESIGN, RECORDKEEPING PRACTICES, RECORDS RETENTION AND DISPOSITION, AND MICROFILMING TO SIMPLY FORMS, ELIMINATE ERRORS, PREPARE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE AT THE SAME TIME, AND STREAMLINE DATA ENTRY INTO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. USE OF WINDOW ENVELOPES TO MAIL NOTICES TO DEFENDANTS IS ALSO RECOMMENDED. APPENDIXES PRESENT SAMPLES OF STREAMLINED FORMS USED IN OTHER COURT SYSTEMS WHICH MAY BE SUITABLE FOR DELAWARE COUNTY APPLICATION. (GLR)