NCJ Number
39742
Date Published
1975
Length
38 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF NEVADA STATE JUSTICES' AND MUNICIPAL COURTS, UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE CURRENT STATE-OF-THE-ART OF THESE COURTS WITH REGARD TO TRAFFIC CASES, AND TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM AREAS.
Abstract
TRAFFIC COURTS WITHIN THE STATE OF NEVADA ARE CALLED JUSTICE COURTS OR MUNICIPAL COURTS. AN OVERVIEW OF THE JURISDICTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THESE COURTS IS FIRST PROVIDED. RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF A SAMPLE OF THE NEVADA TRAFFIC COURTS ARE THEN PRESENTED. COURTS WERE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF POTENTIAL TRAFFIC VOLUME AND ON THE RURAL OR URBAN NATURE OF THE COURTS. DATA ARE PROVIDED ON CASE HANDLING PROCEDURES, CASELOADS, MANPOWER RESOURCES, AND SENTENCES. SEVERAL PROBLEMS WERE IDENTIFIED. THESE INCLUDE NON-ACCEPTANCE OF FAIL TO APPEAR (FTA) REPORTS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, INSUFFICIENTLY DOCUMENTED ARREST REPORTS RESULTING IN MANY CASE DISMISSALS, LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF DATA PROCESSING SERVICES, LACK OF PROBATIONARY POWER FOR JUSTICES OF THE PEACE AND MUNICIPAL JUDGES, AND LACK OF A STANDARDIZED CLERICAL PROCEDURE FOR MAINTAINING COURT RECORDS. TO COUNTERACT THESE PROBLEMS, THE REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT IN-STATE AND OUT-OF-STATE FTA'S BE ACCEPTED BY THE MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT, THAT POLICE RECEIVE MORE TRAINING IN ARREST REPORT PROCEDURES, THAT A STATEWIDE COMPUTER FACILITY BE CONSIDERED, THAT TRAFFIC COURT JUDGES BE GIVEN DISCRETIONARY POWERS TO ALLOW THEM TO UTILIZE SENTENCING ALTERNATIVES, AND THAT A CENTRAL AUTHORITY HANDLE ALL COURT REPORTS....DMC