NCJ Number
101866
Date Published
1984
Length
132 pages
Annotation
This report presents the first year's (1984) findings and recommendations of the New Jersey Supreme Court Task Force on Women, which was established to investigate gender bias in the New Jersey judiciary and develop educational programs to eliminate any such bias.
Abstract
The task force sent a questionnaire to attorneys to determine their perceptions and experiences regarding the treatment of women in New Jersey's judicial system. A total of 867 completed questionnaires were suitable for analysis. Two-thirds of the respondents were males, and one-third were females. The task force held seven regional meetings hosted by women's bar associations. At each meeting, bar association members responded to a standardized set of questions about the treatment of female participants in the judicial system. Task force subcommittees investigated gender bias in the language of standard court forms and correspondence as well as in the handling of particular types of cases. The task in the handling of particular types of cases. The task force found that although the law is for the most part gender neutral, stereotyped myths, beliefs, and biases regarding women sometimes affect judicial decisionmaking in the areas investigated: domestic violence, juvenile justice, matrimonial law, and sentencing. There is also strong evidence that women and men are sometimes treated differently in courtrooms, in chambers, and at professional gatherings. The report presents recommendations regarding what judges can do to ensure equality for women and men in the courts. A plan for the task force's second year is included. 13-item annotated bibliography and 85-item bibliography.