NEWARK (NJ) - SPECIAL CASE PROCESSING FOR IMPACT OFFENDERS - EVALUATION REPORT NO 27

• NCJ Number: 40197
• Author(s): P ECKMAN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 24 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-DF-02-0105
• Corporate Author: Newark Office of Criminal Justice Planning
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN ASSESSMENT OF A PROJECT DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME NEEDED TO PROCESS IMPACT TARGET CRIME CASES THROUGH THE NEWARK/ESSEX COUNTY COURT SYSTEM BY MODIFYING COURT PROCEDURES AND ADDING ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.

Abstract

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO RELIEVE COURT DELAY BY REDUCING TOTAL PROCESSING TIME FROM ARREST TO SENTENCING TO 60-90 DAYS. IT WAS THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD REDUCE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR RECIDIVISM AND HAVE A CRIME DETERRENT EFFECT. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND FEATURES INCLUDED PROCEDURAL CHANGES IN THE FLOW OF CASES, PROVISION OF THREE JUDGES ASSIGNED TO IMPACT CASES ONLY, AND ADDITION OF PERSONNEL TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. THE EVALUATION SHOWED THAT THE PROGRAM REDUCED MEDIAN PROCESSING TIME TO 110 DAYS. WHILE THIS WAS SHORT OF THE TARGETED REDUCTION TO 60-90 DAYS, IT DID REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION. RECIDIVISM WAS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY: ONLY 2 PERCENT OF THE DEFENDANTS WERE REARRESTED BEFORE DISPOSITION OF THEIR CASES. THE PRE-GRAND JURY SQUAD FEATURE OF THE PROGRAM FUNCTIONED EFFECTIVELY, AS MEASURED BY A 16 DAY REDUCTION IN TIME BETWEEN ARRAIGNMENT AND GRAND JURY PRESENTMENT. THE EXTRA PROBATION OFFICERS WERE ALSO EFFECTIVE, REDUCING BY 8 DAYS THE INTERVAL BETWEEN PLEA BARGAINING AND SENTENCING. A SERIOUS DEFICIENCY WAS FOUND IN THE RECORD KEEPING FUNCTIONS OF THE PROJECT....DMC