NCJ Number
58153
Journal
BRITISH JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE Volume: 7 Dated: (OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 511-527
Date Published
1977
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THE PREMISE OF THIS REVIEW OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN ENGLAND IS THAT POLITICAL SCIENTISTS SHOULD UNDERTAKE MORE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THE OPERATION OF ENGLISH COURTS.
Abstract
LITERATURE ON THE ENGLISH JUDICIAL SYSTEM HAS FOCUSED ON WORKS OF A GENERAL NATURE, STUDIES OF CRIMINAL TRIAL COURTS, AND STUDIES OF JUDICIAL POLICYMAKING IN OTHER COURTS SUCH AS MAGISTRATES' COURTS. IN GENERAL, RESEARCH EFFORTS CITED IN THE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE HAVE NOT BEEN CARRIED OUT TO UNDERSTAND POLITICAL AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN BROAD TERMS; RATHER, RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED PRIMARILY BY SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND LEGAL SCHOLARS WITH SPECIFIC PRACTICAL INTERESTS CONCERNING THE LEGAL SYSTEM. LIMITS ON AVAILABLE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENGLISH COURTS MAY BE FRUSTRATING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND THE JUDICIAL PROCESS, BUT THESE LIMITS ALSO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR POLITICAL SCIENTISTS INTERESTED IN STUDYING THE JUDICIARY. BROAD TOPICS IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM REQUIRING FURTHER RESEARCH ARE COURT STRUCTURE AND PROCEDURES, CHARACTERISTICS AND ROLES OF PROFESSIONAL COURT PARTICIPANTS, INPUTS TO COURTS, THE CONVERSION OR DECISIONMAKING PROCESS, JUDICIAL OUTPUTS, AND THE IMPACT OF COURT DECISIONS. COURTS IN ENGLAND MERIT ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THEIR SIGNIFICANCE IN POLICYMAKING AND BECAUSE OF THE UTILITY OF COURT CASES IN ANALYZING POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PROCESSES. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)