NCJ Number
77197
Date Published
1977
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This report describes and evaluates the Milwaukee City Attorney Office's internship program which hired law students for the academic year beginning June 1976 to work primarily on a dispute resolution project and a battered women tribunal.
Abstract
Although interns were asked to complete daily activity logs for evaluation purposes, these forms were only used for a short period and activities were not clearly defined. This assessment was based on these records as well as written evaluations submitted by the interns and their supervisor. Federal and State grants totaling approximately $6,900 enabled the City Attorney's Office to hire two interns full time during the summer and 20 hours per week during the school year. Students were recruited by an announcement placed on the Marquette University Law School bulletin board. Because an intern resigned in October 1976, three students were hired during the grant period -- two white males and one Spanish American male. In the summer, the interns served as judges in an experimental 'moot' court project which heard neighborhood complaints 3 nights a week, usually involving allegations of disorderly conduct, vandalism, or pet violations. If the case was not resolved in the moot court, the interns assisted with its prosecution in the trial court. In September 1976, the interns were assigned to a new 'mock' court project for handling husband and wife battery cases, which was operated jointly by the City Attorney and Marquette University Law School. These interns and law students funded under other programs heard battered women's complaints which had been screened by an assistant city attorney in evening and Saturday sessions. The tribunal could not convict but could refer cases to counseling, negotiate a mutual agreement between the parties, or recommend prosecution. Logs completed by the interns from September to October 1976 showed that 90 percent of their time was spent interviewing victims and witnesses about alleged violations involving assault and battery or disorderly conduct. Evaluations completed by two interns stated that the experience had been valuable and that activities had been challenging but within their capabilities. The project supervisor reported that the interns had done an outstanding job, particularly in providing services to battered women. The staff time freed up by the interns was apparently used to handle civil cases for the police department rather than to improve criminal case processing. Tables show case dispositions by the battered women tribunal and time allotted to different activities by the interns.