NCJ Number
50235
Date Published
1978
Length
49 pages
Annotation
THIS PROJECT WAS FUNDED WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE LEAA TO STUDY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO THE ENFORCEMENT OF PARKING VIOLATIONS IN THE SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ., MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM.
Abstract
A THREE-MEMBER CONSULTING TEAM WAS ESTABLISHED AND ONSITE VISITS WERE MADE IN 1978 TO REVIEW RECORDS AND PROCEDURES AND INTERVIEW KEY COURT AND CITY EMPLOYEES AND THE PUBLIC. TO CONDUCT A VALID ANALYSIS OF THE CITY'S PARKING TICKET PROGRAM, THE TEAM DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO CHECK COURT RECORDS AND THE RECORDS OF SOME RELATED AGENCIES. IN JANUARY 1978, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TICKETS ISSUED WAS 988, OF WHICH APPROXIMATELY 15 WERE VOIDED; 146 TICKETS WERE OUTSTANDING AT THE TIME OF SITE VISITATION IN FEBRUARY. FROM FEBRUARY 1 TO FEBRUARY 22, 1,035 TICKETS WERE FILED IN THE COURT, AND 792 HAD BEEN PAID AT THE TIME OF THE STUDY. ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY OF TICKETS WERE PAID, A REASONABLE NUMBER WERE IGNORED COMPLETELY. THE TEAM SUBSEQUENTLY EXPLORED THE NATURE OF UNPAID TICKETS TO DETERMINE WHETHER FURTHER ENFORCEMENT WAS FEASIBLE. OF THE 146 OUTSTANDING TICKETS, ONLY 38 WERE ISSUED TO CARS REGISTERED OUT OF THE STATE. INTERVIEWS WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, COURT STAFF, THE PROSECUTION, THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND DATA PROCESSING STAFF OF THE CITY SHOWED THAT THE LACK OF AN EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM DID NOT CAUSE MORALE PROBLEMS FOR POLICE EVEN THOUGH IT PRESENTED PROBLEMS TO COURT PERSONNEL. WITH REGARD TO PARKING TICKET TRACKING SYSTEMS, IT WAS LEARNED THAT AN AUDIT-ORIENTED COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM JUST HAD BEEN INTRODUCED. SIX RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED AS A RESULT OF THE TEAM'S EVALUATIVE STUDY: (1) IT IS DESIRABLE TO ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM FOR PARKING TICKETS THAT REMAIN UNPAID, EVEN THOUGH COLLECTION RATES ARE EXTREMELY HIGH; (2) INFORMATION REQUIRED TO ALLOW EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT CAN BE OBTAINED READILY BY MINOR MODIFICATIONS TO THE SCOTTSDALE COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR CITATION CONTROL; (3) THE COURT, TOGETHER WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHOULD DECIDE ON AN APPROPRIATE ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY ONCE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE; (4) IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT LEGAL CITATIONS BE ISSUED AND THAT PROPER NOTICE BE GIVEN IF ENFORCEMENT IS TO BE EFFECTIVE; (5) ENFORCEMENT OF VIOLATIONS BY RENTAL CARS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED USING THE CITY'S COMPUTER SYSTEM AND FOLLOWING PROCEDURES USED BY THE PHOENIX MUNICIPAL COURT; AND (6) THE COURT SHOULD GIVE ITS PRIMARY EMPHASIS TO THE MOVING VIOLATIONS AREA RATHER THAN TO PARKING ISSUES. FORMS AND PROCEDURAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE CITY'S PARKING VIOLATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES ARE APPENDED. (DEP)