NCJ Number
73617
Date Published
1981
Length
79 pages
Annotation
This document is one of a series of reports funded by LEAA which focuses on case processing in the District of Columbia Superior Court system.
Abstract
The study examines disposition times for both felony and misdemeanor cases occurring during 1974 and 1975. The researchers related three sets of variables, including case and defender characteristics, system characteristics, and continuance policies, to case processing time. Analysis revealed that pending caseload pressures and continuance policies were more significant than case/defender characteristics in explaining total elapsed time from screening to disposition. The effects that case characteristics had on processing time according to characteristics and type of disposition are also described. Felonies that were screened in 1974 and disposed throughout 1974 and 1975 required an average of 197 days from screening to reach trial and 163 days to be disposed of through guilty pleas. Misdemeanor cases handled during the same period required an average of 78 days to reach trial, 61 days for a plea of guilty, and 65 days for dismissal. The most powerful determinant of the preindictment processing time for an individual felony case was the number of the other cases competing for the same resources at the same time. Thus, judges should establish standards for measuring case delay and reexamine their continuance policies. However, criminal justice personnel should clarify and prioritize system goals before instituting policies aimed at reducing delays. Chapter notes, flow charts, and tables are provided; results of multivariate analysis, selected case attributes, and time series data are appended.