NCJ Number
45724
Date Published
1977
Length
74 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF THE POLK COUNTY, IOWA, WITNESS COORDINATOR PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO STIMULATE EFFICIENT WITNESS UTILIZATION AND TO INCREASE WITNESS SATISFACTION, ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO MEET THESE OBJECTIVES INCLUDES EIGHT PRIMARY COMPONENTS: (1) A VOLUNTEER-STAFFED TELEPHONE ALERT PROGRAM TO NOTIFY AND SCREEN WITNESSES AND TO APPRISE THEM OF ANY CHANGES IN THEIR STATUS; (2) AN 'ON CALL' TELEPHONE ALERT SYSTEM TO CONTACT POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHERS WHO HAVE A SPECIAL NEED TO REMAIN ON THE JOB PRIOR TO COURT APPEARANCE; (3) A WITNESS COORDINATOR DESK RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING A LOG, COORDINATING SCHEDULES, AND CONTACTING WITNESSES ON CALL; (4) COURTROOM WITNESS SCHEDULES; (5) A CENTRALIZED TECHNICAL INFORMATION SOURCE; (6) WITNESS INFORMATION CARDS; (7) OVERALL CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATION BY THE WITNESS COORDINATOR; AND (8) WITNESS ORIENTATION. THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION IS DESCRIBED, AND DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ARE ELUCIDATED. TO EVALUATE PROJECT IMPACT, QUESTIONNAIRES WERE MAILED TO POLK COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO GAUGE POLICE-WITNESS ATTITUDE/EXPERIENCE CHANGE, PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH POLICE AND PROBATION OFFICERS AND OTHERS TO DETERMINE EFFECT OF THE WITNESS COORDINATOR ON THE COURT, DATA WERE COMPLIED COMPARING THE EFFECT OF THE PROGRAM ON THE NUMBER OF HOURS SPENT IN COURT BY DES MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL, AND COURT DATA WERE ANALYZED. ANALYSIS OF DATA INDICATES A 15 PERCENT IMPROVEMENT IN WITNESS SATISFACTION, IMPROVED EFFICIENCY OF THE WITNESS NOTIFICATION PROCESS; AND A DECREASE IN THE COURT TIME OF POLICE-WITNESSES. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS AND TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE INCLUDED. METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING RESEARCH AND IN FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM ARE DESCRIBED AND DATA SUGGEST THAT THE WITNESS COORDINATOR SYSTEM DID AID IN INCREASING WITNESS SATISFACTION AND SERVED TO EXPEDITE THE WITNESS NOTIFICATION PROCESS. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE FOR IMPROVING THE PROGRAM, PARTICULARY THE CIVILIAN WITNESS COMPONENT, AND FOR ESTABLISHING A MORE VALID RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. THE APPENDIX INCLUDES THE FOUR WITNESS COORDINATOR QUESTIONNAIRES AND PROGRAM-RELEVANT CORRESPONDENCE. (JAP)