NCJ Number
44754
Date Published
1976
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE USE OF A PARALEGAL-STAFFED WITNESS NOTIFICATION UNIT AND PROMIS-GENERATED SUBPOENA FORMS AND REPORTS TO ALLEVIATE WITNESS PROBLEMS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
PROMIS, A LEAA EXEMPLARY PROJECT, ADDRESSES WITNESS PROBLEMS IN TWO WAYS: IT PROVIDES PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS WITH A TOOL FOR EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF WITNESS PROBLEMS ON OVERALL OFFICE PERFORMANCE; AND IT OFFERS A MEANS BY WHICH DISTRICT ATTORNEYS CAN MINIMIZE WITNESS PROBLEMS BY APPLYING MODERN MANAGERIAL METHODS. IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C., PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, PROMIS RECEIVES AS INPUT A NUMBER OF WITNESS-RELATED REASONS EXPLAINING VARIOUS PROSECUTIVE OR COURT DECISIONS. A PROMIS REPORT SHOWED THAT, OF 6,266 CASES WITH CITIZEN WITNESSES CONSIDERED BY THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OVER A 6-MONTH PERIOD, 19 PERCENT WERE DROPPED BECAUSE OF BEHAVIOR THAT ATTORNEYS INTERPRETED AS LACK OF WITNESS COOPERATION. SPURRED BY THIS PROMIS FINDING, A FIELD SURVEY OF 922 WITNESSES FOUND THAT AT LEAST 1 IN 5 PERCEIVED BY PROSECUTORS AS NONCOOPERATIVE DID NOT WARRANT THAT DESIGNATION. THE RESEARCH REVEALED THAT NONCOOPERATION OFTEN WAS THE RESULT OF SYSTEM-GENERATED OBSTRUCTIONS. TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS, A WITNESS NOTIFICATION UNIT WAS FORMED. STAFFED PRIMARILY BY PARALEGALS, THE UNIT USES PROMIS-GENERATED PREPRINTED SUBPOENA FORMS TO ADVISE WITNESSES WHEN AND WHERE TO APPEAR FOR SCHEDULED CASES. PROMIS ALSO AUTOMATICALLY RENOTIFIES WITNESSES WHEN SCHEDULED DATES ARE CHANGED OR CASES ARE CANCELED. THE WITNESS NOTIFICATION UNIT COORDINATES REQUESTS FOR CONTINUANCES AND ANSWERS INQUIRIES FROM WITNESSES, POLICE OFFICERS, AND DEFENSE ATTORNEYS. EXAMPLES OF THE PROMIS-GENERATED SUBPOENA AND SUBPOENA SUMMARY LIST ARE INCLUDED. FOR OTHER ISSUES IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ 44750-44753 AND 44755-44770.