NCJ Number
19345
Date Published
1974
Length
38 pages
Annotation
THE TWO MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF THE WARRANT SERVICE UNIT ARE TO SERVE FAILURE TO APPEAR TO APPEAR WARRANTS AND TO NOTIFY HARD-TO-REACH DEFENDANTS REGARDING COURT APPEARANCES AND OTHER JUSTICE PROCEDURES.
Abstract
THE OPERATION OF THIS UNIT, ADMINISTERED BY THE PHILADELPHIA PRETRIAL SERVICES UNIT, IS COMPARED TO THAT OF THE POLICE WARRANT UNIT WHICH PRECEDED IT. RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT THE COST PER CLEARED WARRANT WAS MUCH LOWER, DUE MAINLY TO THE LOWER SALARIES OF WARRANT SERVICE INVESTIGATORS AS COMPARED TO THOSE OF POLICE OFFICERS. IN ADDITION, THE UNIT WAS JUDGED MORE EFFICIENT IN PERFORMING ITS TWO PRINCIPAL TASKS THAN THE POLICE UNIT. EVALUATORS CONCLUDED THAT THE NEW WARRANT SERVICE UNIT WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER CONTINUITY BETEEN THE COURTS' BAIL SERVICES AND LATER COURT HEARINGS, AND WILL RESULT IN FEWER DEFENDANTS FAILING TO APPEAR FOR HEAINGS. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED CLASSIFYING THE BACKLOG OF OUTSTANDING WARRANTS IN ORDER OF PRIORITY, INSTITUTING NEW AND BETTER WAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH DEFENDANTS, AND MAINTAINING A MORE EFFICIENT RECORDKEEPING SYSTEM. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS DATA ON THE WARRANT UNITS OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE POLICE AND THE PRETRIAL SERVICES UNIT. ALSO INCLUDED ARE TABLES OF DATA ON THE OPERATION OF THE WARRANT SERVICES UNIT.