NCJ Number
118554
Date Published
1989
Length
62 pages
Annotation
This audit assesses the New York City Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor's role as a citywide narcotics prosecution force by reviewing its coordination with other agencies, the nature and processing of its caseload, and its plea bargaining record.
Abstract
The audit compared two case samples of 1986 drug felony indictments from the Special Prosecutors Office and from the Bronx, Kings, and Queens district attorney offices; made data requests to State, city, and Federal agencies; interviewed staff of the principal narcotics law enforcement and prosecution agencies in the city; and interviewed city administrative judges. Findings indicate that the creation of a coordinated citywide prosecution force for felony narcotics cases has not been fully realized. Coordination among the other district attorney offices and the special narcotics prosecutor has been informal. The special prosecutor handles narcotics cases of greater seriousness and complexity than the other district attorney offices; however, these cases are disproportionately concentrated in New York County rather than dispersed throughout the city. Also, for indictments of comparable seriousness, the special narcotics prosecutor's plea bargaining practices led to lower proportions of prison sentences and greater use of straight probation sentences than the other district attorney offices. Recommendations for improved functioning are offered. 17 tables, appended supplementary information.