PROSECUTION MANAGEMENT - EVALUATING AN INNOVATION (FROM COURTS AND DIVERSIONS - POLICY AND OPERATIONS STUDIES, 1979, BY PATRICIA BRANTINGHAM AND THOMAS G BLOMBERG - SEE NCJ-62483)

• NCJ Number: 62486
• Author(s): D L WEIMER
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF A STUDY OF AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM AIMED AT REDUCING IDIOSYNCRATIC PROSECUTION OF FELONY CASES ARE PRESENTED; IMAGINATIVE CONSTRUCTS ASSESS PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS.

Abstract

THIS PAPER DEMONSTRATES HOW CONSIDERATION OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE INNOVATING AGENCY CAN LEAD TO INDIRECT TESTS OF IMPACT. THE DEMONSTRATION INVOLVES ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF A CASE EVALUATION SYSTEM USED BY THE ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIF., DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. FELONY TASK FORCE MEMBERS OF THE OFFICE EMPLOY A PREDETERMINED PROCEDURE TO DERIVE CASE WEIGHTS FOR ALL REQUESTS FOR PROSECUTION THAT ARE FILED AS FELONIES. THEY ASSIGN POINTS TO EACH CASE IN THREE CATEGORIES INCLUDING HARM SUFFERED BY THE VICTIM, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEFENDANT, AND FACTORS RELEVANT TO THE COMMUNITY. CASES ARE DESIGNATED ACCORDING TO WEIGHTED FACTORS AS A, B, AND C, WITH C CASES MOST LIKELY TO BE RESOLVED WITH MILDEST PUNISHMENT. DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CASE WEIGHT SYSTEM USED EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES THAT WERE ALREADY AVAILABLE IN THE OFFICE. THE IMPRACTICALITY OF EXPERIMENTAL OR QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS IMPLIES THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE CONFIDENTLY THE MAGNITUDE OF THE IMPACT OF THE CASE WEIGHTING SYSTEM. HOWEVER, PROPOSITIONS COULD DEVELOP CONCERNING THE PATTERN OF CASE DISPOSITIONS WHICH WOULD BE EXPECTED TO OCCUR IF THE CASE EVALUATION SYSTEM HAS HAD AN IMPACT. THE PROPOSITION THAT WAS STATISTICALLY TESTED IS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE EXPECTED IMPACT OF THE CASE WEIGHTING SYSTEM ON THE ASYMETRIC ERROR CORRECTION CHARACTERISTICS OF HORIZONTAL PROSECUTION. CASE CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDED IN THE ANALYSIS ARE THE OFFENSE CHARAGED, PRIOR RECORD, CASE STRENGTH, RESOURCE SAVINGS, AND DEFENDANT CHARACTERISTICS. THE STATISTICALLY MEASURED IMPACT OF CASE WEIGHT ON THE PROBABILITY THAT A PLEA BARGAIN WILL INVOLVE A STATE PRISON TERM IS CONSISTENT WITH THE HYPOTHESIS THAT THE CASE WEIGHT SYSTEM HAS LED TO A REDUCTION IN IDIOSYNCRATIC PLEA BARGAINING. THE EVALUATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT THE CASE WEIGHTING SYSTEM SUCCEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE EVALUATION DEMONSTRATED HOW SOME INDICATION OF IMPACT CAN BE DERIVED FROM A NONEXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. NOTES, REFERENCES, AND STATISTICAL TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)