NCJ Number
82994
Journal
State Court Journal Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1982) Pages: 8-13
Date Published
1982
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A procedure for handling the serving of bench warrants to improve the administration of misdemeanor cases in Illinois courts is described.
Abstract
The procedures instituted are composed of a periodic review of outstanding warrants, providing the sheriff with all available information on a defendent, Operation Bench Warrant, and questioning the practicality of issuing a warrant. The steps in Operation Bench Warrant are issuance of the warrant, sheriff's request for assistance, service of warrant by assisting agency, disposition of defendent arrested, and disposition of request for assistance. As a result of the new procedures, fewer warrants are issued, and more of those issued are served. The sheriff spends less time obtaining information on a defendant's whereabouts and more time serving warrants. The sheriff is assisted by the local police at no increased cost to the taxpayer. The system of periodic review, a 'sunset' law of sorts, relieves the clerk and sheriff of the burden of indefinitely retaining records on warrant cases. The warning letter to defendants the first time they miss a court date puts them on notice of the consequences of any future absences. Defendants who inadvertently failed to appear or who failed to understand the necessity to appear are not penalized by an arrest at their home or job and incarceration. A description of each step of Operation Bench Warrant is appended.