NEW YORK (NY) BAR ASSOCIATION - SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S STUDY REVEALS THREE BASIC FINDINGS - RECOMMENDS MANY CHANGES

• NCJ Number: 65007
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: New York State Bar Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE, DISCUSSION PAPER NO 5

Annotation

THIS DISCUSSION PAPER OF THE NEW YORK CITY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTAINS THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF ITS SPECIAL COMMITTEE STUDY OF NEW YORK CITY'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE STUDY FOUND THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN NEW YORK CITY IS HAMPERED BY THREE MAIN PROBLEMS. FIRST, TOO MANY MINOR DISPUTES AND TECHNICAL VIOLATIONS ARE BEING FUNNELED INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, CLOGGING THE COURTS AND NOT ALLOWING TIME AND RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH MORE SERIOUS CASES. SECOND, THE SYSTEM SUFFERS FROM A LACK OF COORDINATION AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT--THE CITY AGENCIES, THE COURTS, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, AND THE DEFENSE BAR. THIRD, THE SYSTEM IS IMPAIRED BY THE UNAVAILABILITY OF AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF EXPERIENCED, CAPABLE PERSONNEL IN KEY POSITIONS, AND A SUPPORT STAFF. TO REDUCE THE VOLUME OF CASES IN THE CRIMINAL COURTS, THE COMMITTEE SUGGESTED THAT GREATER EMPHASIS BE PLACED ON CRIME PREVENTION TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CRIMES, COMPREHENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE EARLY SCREENING OF ARRESTS BE IMPLEMENTED, CIVIL DISPOSITION OF SELECTED ARRESTS IN APPROPRIATE CASES BE PROVIDED, AND ENFORCEMENT EMPHASIS BE SHIFTED IN MANY TYPES OF CASES. TO IMPROVE COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, MEANINGFUL COORDINATION OF ALL COMPONENTS IN THE SYSTEM ON THE OPERATING LEVEL SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED, BETTER RESOURCES SHOULD BE EMPLOYED FOR THE ELIMINATION OF ARRAIGNMENT DELAYS, THE USE OF THE GRAND JURY IN ROUTINE CASES SHOULD BE ELIMINATED, PRACTICAL AND SYMPATHETIC ASSISTANCE TO VICTIM-WITNESSES SHOULD BE PROVIDED, AND EXTENSIVE DELAYS IN THE SELECTION OF TRIAL JURIES SHOULD BE ELIMINATED. THE COMMITTEE ALSO FELT THAT AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF CASE MANAGEMENT IS IMPERATIVE AND THAT A NEW BAR ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE SHOULD BE CREATED TO PROVIDE A DIRECT, CONTINUOUS OVERVIEW OF THE WORKING OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, SERIOUS CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO CREATING AN OFFICE OF CHIEF OF PROSECUTOR OF THE CITY AND INCREASING THE NUMBER OF WELL-QUALIFIED TRIAL JUDGES. (MJM)