NCJ Number
92474
Date Published
1983
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A 4-year effort of lobbying and grassroots activities led to the establishment in 1981 of a State-funded network of community-based dispute resolution centers in New York, which became the first State to create such a program.
Abstract
One impetus for the legislation was research on the volume and costs of cases in the Bronx. The costs of processing most cases were found to be much greater than any conceivable benefits to the public, the victim, or the defendant, while serious and violent crimes were receiving far less time, attention, and resources than they deserved. Mediation was thus regarded by the executive director of a New York organization, the Fund for Modern Courts, which conducted the study, as not only worthwhile but also absolutely necessary, provided that it would handle cases that would otherwise go to the courts. The efforts to secure passage of the bill creating the program demonstrated the need for bipartisan support and effort to get a bill passed. It also showed the crucial role of a legislative staff in negotiating a bill and the importance of statewide groups when they coordinate their activities and influence the legislative process. Following the passage of the bill, the State's Unified Court System called on the National Center for State Courts to provide technical assistance for the planning and development of the program. During fiscal year 1981-82, the 12 operational dispute resolution centers received 32,180 contacts and referrals and conducted 8,783 formal mediations, 511 conciliations, and 299 arbitrations at a cost in terms of State grant funds of $66 per case. The State now has 36 dispute resolution centers serving 38 counties.