ORLANDO (FL) - CITIZEN DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROGRAM RESOLVING DISPUTES OUTSIDE THE COURTS

• NCJ Number: 44482
• Author(s): R F CONNER; R SURETTEISARD B R
• Editor(s): B R ISARD
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 56 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: American Bar Assoc.; Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
• Sale Source: American Bar Assoc (Basics)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION CORRECTIONAL REFORM EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES SERIES. EVALUATION OF THE CITIZEN DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROGRAM OF THE ORANGE COUNTY (FL) BAR ASSOCIATION, MAY 1977.

Annotation

A PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES HEARINGS TO RESIDENTS OF ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA, WHO HAVE COMPLAINTS INVOLVING ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS AND MISDEMEANORS, IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED.

Abstract

IN THE CITIZEN DISPUTE SETTLEMENT (CDS) PROGRAM, UNPAID VOLUNTEER LAWYERS SERVE AS MEDIATORS FOR TWO DISPUTING PARTIES. IF THE PARTIES REACH AN AGREEMENT, THEY SIGN A STATEMENT LISTING THE TERMS AND BOTH RECEIVE COPIES. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES SET FORTH IN THE EVALUATION PLAN WERE TO MONITOR THE CLIENTS AND THEIR COMPLAINTS AND TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HEARINGS. A SECONDARY OBJECTIVE WAS TO ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF THE CDS PROGRAM ON THE LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. COMPLAINANT, RESPONDENT, AND HEARING OFFICER RATINGS COMPRISE THE FIRST PART OF THE EVALUATION; THE SECOND PART OF THE RESEARCH INVOLVED DRAWING A RANDOM SAMPLE OF COMPLAINANT-RESPONDENT PAIRS FOR A FOLLOWUP APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AFTER THE HEARING. COMPLAINANT-RESPONDENT PAIRS WHO HAD FILED A COMPLAINT BUT HAD NOT RECEIVED A HEARING WERE ALSO CONTACTED AS A BASIS FOR COMPARISON. DURING THE 9-MONTH STUDY BETWEEN JANUARY AND OCTOBER 1976, A TOTAL OF 306 COMPLAINTS WAS PRESENTED FOR SETTLEMENT. THE MOST FREQUENT CATEGORIES OF COMPLAINTS WERE HARASSMENT (28.4 PERCENT) AND SIMPLE ASSAULT (19.6 PERCENT). HEARINGS OCCURRED IN 194 CASES, OR 63.4 PERCENT. POSTHEARING RATINGS INDICATED THAT COMPLAINANTS, RESPONDENTS, AND HEARING OFFICERS WERE GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE SETTLEMENTS REACHED AT THE HEARINGS. AS A GROUP, COMPLAINANTS AND RESPONDENTS CONTINUED TO REPORT HIGH SATISFACTION RATINGS 3 WEEKS AFTER THE HEARING. A SUBSTANTIAL MINORITY OF CLIENTS (FOR COMPLAINANTS, ABOUT 42 PERCENT), HOWEVER, REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM REMAINED UNSOLVED. FOR THE NO-HEARING GROUP, ABOUT 52 PERCENT OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THEIR PROBLEM WAS SOLVED, COMPARED WITH 58 PERCENT OF THE HEARING COMPLAINANTS WHO REPORTED SIMILARLY. THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM ON THE LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS BEEN MINIMAL DUE TO THE SMALL NUMBER OF CASES INVOLVED IN THE CDS PROGRAM DURING THE EVALUATION PERIOD. SUPPORTING STATISTICS ARE PRESENTED IN TABULAR AND GRAPHIC FORM. APPENDIXES INCLUDE THE ORANGE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION'S STATEMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES OF THE CDS PROGRAM, A CLIENT INTAKE FORM, A RESPONDENT NOTIFICATION-OF-HEARING FORM, A CLIENT RATINGS FORM, AND SAMPLES OF NEWS COVERAGE OF THE CDS PROGRAM.