NCJ Number
54270
Date Published
1979
Length
91 pages
Annotation
THIS INTERIM REPORT PRESENTS THE FIRST 6 MONTHS' FINDINGS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTERS' FIELD TEST FOR CENTERS OPERATING IN KANSAS CITY, MO., ATLANTA, GA., AND VENICE/MAR VISTA IN LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
Abstract
NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTERS ARE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, WITH CLOSE TIES TO THE COURTS, THAT SETTLE A VARIETY OF MINOR DISPUTES USING A PROCESS OF MEDIATION-ARBITRATION. THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTERS' 18-MONTH FIELD TEST ATTEMPTS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CENTERS IN SOLVING DISPUTES, THE VARIETY OF CASES HANDLED BY THE CENTERS, MEANS FOR REDUCING CONFLICT IN COMMUNITIES WITH CENTERS, AND COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO THE CENTERS. THIS INTERIM REPORT CONTAINS DATA ON THE IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES OF THE THREE CENTERS INCLUDING SITE SELECTION, MEDIATION STAFF TRAINING, ESTABLISHMENT OF REFERRAL SOURCES, AND SELECTION OF MEDIATION METHODS. A SUMMARY OF THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF PROCESS DATA IS PROVIDED. PROCESS DATA INCLUDE THE SOURCES OF CLIENT REFERRALS TO THE CENTERS, THE NATURE OF THE DISPUTES AND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG DISPUTANTS, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISPUTANTS, THE DISPOSITIONS OF CASES REFERRED TO THE CENTERS, AND THE NATURE OF THE HEARING SESSIONS. THE FINAL CHAPTER PRESENTS A BACKGROUND DISCUSSION OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTERS, ENDING WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE OBJECTIVES AND METHODS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION STUDY AND THE PROCESS STUDY. APPENDIXES CONTAIN TABULAR DATA DESCRIBING EACH OF THE THREE CENTERS.