NCJ Number
189670
Date Published
2001
Length
62 pages
Annotation
This report outlines the activities of Rhode Island's State judicial system during calendar year 2000.
Abstract
In 2000 the Rhode Island judicial system continued installing new computers and training employees in their use in the Traffic Tribunal, the District Court, the Family Court, and the Superior Court. In the work of the various committees, emphasis has been given to the work of the Committee on Women and Minorities in the Courts, with attention to determining the perceptions of minorities regarding the fairness of the State's legal system. The committee is in the process of designing a survey to test public perception. Further, the committee has undertaken the task of determining empirically whether racism or ethnic background has been a factor in the sentencing process in the State's criminal justice system. The Committee on Future of the Courts has continued its analysis of procedural rules, the relationship between judge and jury, and the distribution of jurisdiction among the various trial courts. Other committees, such as the User-Friendly Committee and the Committee on Public Trust and Confidence in our Legal System, have been active in their efforts to enhance the public image of the judiciary and the legal system as a whole. The data presented encompass court caseloads, manner of disposition, and the budget. Appended 2001 judicial roster and court directory