SPEEDY TRIAL ACT OF 1974 - THIRD REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TITLE 1 AND TITLE 2 - TITLE 1

• NCJ Number: 56103
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 224 pages
• Corporate Author: Administrative Office of the United States Courts
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE THIRD IN A SERIES OF THREE REPORTS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SPEEDY TRIAL ACT OF 1974, THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE FINAL SPEEDY TRIAL PLANS ADOPTED BY THE DISTRICT PLANNING GROUPS.

Abstract

THIS REPORT SETS OUT THE DETAILED INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE DISTRICT COURTS 'FINAL' SPEEDY TRIAL PLANS DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 18 U.S.C. SECTION 3165(E). THE SALIENT FEATURES OF THE PLANS ARE REVIEWED IN THIS REPORT, AND COMPLIANCE STATISTICS FOR THE TWO YEARS BEGINNING JULY 1, 1976 AND JULY 1, 1977 ARE REPORTED. THE MAJORITY OF THE PLANS INDICATE THAT THE PREVAILING TIME LIMITS SET BY THE ACT HAVE RESULTED IN MORE RAPID DISPOSITION OF CRIMINAL CASES AND A DECREASE IN CRIMINAL BACKLOG. PLANNING GROUPS ALSO REPORT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE WAS IMPROVED THROUGH MORE EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND IMPROVED COOPERATION AND PLANNING BETWEEN THE COURTS, PROSECUTION, CLERK'S OFFICES, AND DEFENSE. THE PROMPT ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE WAS SAID BY SOME PLANNING GROUPS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE BY ENABLING WITNESSES' MEMORIES TO BE FRESH, BY ASSURING THE AVAILABILITY OF WITNESSES, AND, BY ALLOWING THE PUNISHMENT TO BEAR A GREATER ASSOCIATION WITH THE CRIME. THE DISTRICT COURTS, OPERATING UNDER SPEEDY TRIAL ACT PLANS ADOPTED IN 1976, MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS DURING THE PAST YEAR IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PENDING CRININAL CASES IN ORDER TO MEET THE ACT'S INTERIM TIME LIMITS; PERMANENT TIME LIMITS WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE IN 1979. AVAILABLE DATA INDICATES THAT IN OVER 90 PERCENT OF THE CASES, THE COURTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OPERATE WITHIN THE GRADUALLY REDUCED TIME LIMITS. FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1978, CRIMINAL FILINGS DECLINED FROM 41,589 TO 35,983, A REDUCTION OF 13.5 PERCENT. ALSO DURING THE YEAR, CRIMINAL TERMINATIONS EXCEEDED CRIMINAL FILINGS, RESULTING IN A 7.6 PERCENT DECREASE IN THE PENDING CRIMINAL CASELOAD. FURTHERMORE, THE PENDING CRIMINAL CASELOAD CONTINUES TO STEADILY DECLINE. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SPEEDY TRIAL PLANS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)