AUTOMATED SCHEDULING IN THE COURTS (FROM OPERATIONS RESEARCH IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUSTICE, AND SOCIETAL SECURITY, 1976, BY S H BROUNSTEIN & M KAMRASS - SEE NCJ-38116)

• NCJ Number: 38129
• Author(s): J HAUSNER; T F LANE; G L OLESON
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: D C Heath and Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE SOME OF THE PECULIARITIES OF THE COURT SYSTEM THAT TEND TO CONFOUND ATTEMPTS TO MAXIMIZE EFFECTIVENESS, DEFINE THE SCHEDULING PROBLEM AND PROPOSE A MODEL FOR INTRODUCING AUTOMATION INTO THE COURTS.

Abstract

COURTS POSSESS SOME UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS THAT MAKE THE INTRODUCTION OF AUTOMATED SCHEDULING DIFFICULT. THESE FEATURES CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: THE LEGAL SETTING; TRADITIONAL OPERATION (ADHERENCE TO PRECEDENCE); CONFLICTING OBJECTIVES; AND PERSONALITY AND PHILOSOPHY OF PRINCIPALS IN THE COURT SYSTEM. EACH OF THESE ASPECTS IS DISCUSSED IN TURN. THE EFFECTS OF COURT SCHEDULING PROBLEMS ON THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE PUBLIC ARE EXAMINED. THE AUTHORS THEN PRESENT A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A TYPICAL CASE FLOW TO PROVIDE INSIGHTS CONCERNING THE VARIOUS TYPES OF JUDICIAL HEARINGS THE COURTS MUST SCHEDULE. IN THE FINAL SECTION, A SCHEDULING MODEL IS PRESENTED THAT ENCOMPASSES THE PERFORMANCE AND INTERACTION OF EIGHT DISTINCT FUNCTIONS OR MODULES. THESE ARE: CASE-STATUS MONITORING, RESOURCE MONITORING, CONFLICT MONITORING, WORK LOAD MONITORING, FALLOUT PREDICTION, SELECTION OF DATE AND TIME, NOTIFICATION TO PARTICIPANTS, AND LAST MINUTE FLEXIBILITY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)