PHILADELPHIA - COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - INVESTIGATION AND WARRANT SERVICE UNIT - REFUNDING EVALUATION REPORT, JULY 1, 1974 - JANUARY 31, 1975

• NCJ Number: 30683
• Author(s): R A WILSON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 56 pages
• Grant Number(s): PH-238-74A
• Sponsoring Agency: Pennsylvania Governor's Justice Cmssn
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE INVESTIGATION AND WARRANT SERVICE UNIT COMMUNICATES WITH DEFENDANTS CONCERNING THEIR SCHEDULED APPEARANCES IN COURT AND SERVES WARRANTS TO THEM IF THEY FAIL TO SHOW.

Abstract

THIS EVALUATION MEASURED THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PROGRAM AND SHOWED THE FOLLOWING RESULTS: A DECREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF DEFENDANTS FAILING TO APPEAR AT SCHEDULED HEARINGS; A DECREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF DEFENDANTS CLASSIFIED AS FUGITIVES; AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FUGITIVES SURRENDERING VOLUNTARILY; AN INCREASE IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF WARRANTS SERVED; AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WARRANTS SERVED PER MAN-HOUR; A DECREASE IN THE AVERAGE INVESTIGATIVE COST PER RETIRED WARRANT; AND AN INCREASE IN THE OVERALL ROR (RELEASE ON RECOGNIZANCE) EFFICIENCY INDEX (WHICH PROVIDES A GENERAL RATIO OF PROJECT OUTPUT). A COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS ALSO REVEALED THAT THE AVERAGE INVESTIGATIVE COST PER WARRANT DROPPED FROM ABOUT 30 DOLLARS TO ABOUT 18 DOLLARS, A DECREASE OF ABOUT 40 PERCENT. REFUNDING OF THE PROJECT IS RECOMMENDED.