NCJ Number
57161
Date Published
1978
Length
282 pages
Annotation
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GIVEN FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS IN 13 HIGH PRIORITY JURY SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT AREAS WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA ON A STATEWIDE SCALE.
Abstract
SOLUTIONS ARE PROPOSED REGARDING THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM AREAS WHICH THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA ASKED THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS TO INVESTIGATE: USE OF MULTIPLE SOURCE LISTS, UPDATING MASTER JURY LISTS, RANDOM SELECTION, SUMMONING, TELEPHONE SYSTEMS, PANEL SIZES, POOLING JURORS, COMPENSATION, LENGTH OF SERVICE, FACILITIES, WAYS OF MEASURING SYSTEM EFFICIENCY, DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION TO COURTS, AND STATUTORY CONSOLIDATION. THE NATIONAL CENTER'S OBJECTIVES IN DEVELOPING, TESTING, AND RECOMMENDING SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS WERE TO REDUCE CITIZEN INCONVENIENCE AND CRITICISM OF JURY SERVICE, AND TO REDUCE COSTS BY IMPROVED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES WHICH DO NOT DISRUPT JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS. THE FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS STEM FROM DATA COLLECTED OVER AN 8-MONTH PERIOD FROM 34 COUNTRIES. SPECIFIC FINDINGS ARE THAT: (1) CURRENT CALIFORNIA STATUTES ALLOWING USE OF SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE LISTS SHOULD BE MADE MANDATORY; (2) LARGER COURTS SHOULD UPDATE THEIR MASTER JURY LISTS TWICE A YEAR; (3) EVERY COURT SHOULD HAVE A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF RANDOM SELECTION TECHNIQUES USED AT EVERY STAGE OF THE PROCESS; (4) EACH COURT SHOULD MAKE A QUARTERLY MEASUREMENT OF ITS QUALIFICATION YIELD, SUMMONING YIELD, OVERALL YIELD, AND COMPARISON OF THE SUMMONING YIELD WITH CONCURRENT ACTUAL JURORS USED; (5) COURTS SHOULD USE TARGET SIZES FOR PANELS IN 'USUAL' MUNICIPAL AND SUPERIOR COURT CASES; (6) COURTS SHOULD ESTABLISH JURY POOLS AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, CONSOLIDATED JURY POOLS; (7) LEGISLATIVE ACTION SHOULD BE INITIATED TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT PAID TO JURORS TO $10 PER DAY; (8) LEGISLATIVE ACTION SHOULD SET A MAXIMUM OF 10 DAYS OF SERVICE PER YEAR FOR JURORS; (9) JURY FACILITIES SHOULD BE STANDARDIZED; (10) EACH COURT WITH 5 OR MORE JUDGES SHOULD CONDUCT JUROR UTILIZATION STUDIES FOR AT LEAST 3 MONTHS PER FISCAL YEAR; (11) JURY COMMISSIONERS AND COURT ADMINISTRATORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF PERSONS RECEIVING THE SPECIAL NEWSLETTER CONCERNING LEGISLATIVE MEASURES; AND (12) A UNIFIED JURY ACT SHOULD BE DRAFTED. ALSO, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION WHICH SHOULD BE TAKEN BY INDIVIDUAL COURTS ARE DELINEATED. DATA GATHERING FORMS AND OTHER MATERIALS FOR ANALYZING JURY OPERATIONS ARE INCLUDED AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)