NCJ Number
34835
Date Published
1975
Length
25 pages
Annotation
FINAL REPORT ON A PROJECT TO REDUCE THE TIME A DEFENDANT SPENDS AWAITING TRIAL AND THE TIME A CONVICTED DEFENDANT SPENDS AWAITING SENTENCING BY HIRING NINE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT COUNTY PROSECUTORS' AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL.
Abstract
THIS PROJECT WAS COORDINATED WITH ANOTHER RELATED PROJECT WHICH PROVIDED FUNDS FOR SIX VISITING JUDGES TO TRY ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL CASES. ASSISTANT COUNTY PROSECUTORS WERE ASSIGNED TO EACH VISITING JUDGE COURTROOM TO PREPARE CASES BEFORE THE VISITING JUDGES AND GRAND JURY. THE OVERALL GOALS OF THIS PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE COMPONENT WERE TO REDUCE DELAY IN PROSECUTION OF IMPACT DEFENDANTS BEFORE THE VISITING JUDGES, AND TO ASSIST THE LATTER IN DISPOSITION OF 150 TO 200 CASES PER MONTH. THE VISITING JUDGES COMPONENT DID REDUCE THE DELAY IN CASE DISPOSITION, AN ACCOMPLISHMENT WHICH WAS ASSISTED BY THE PROVISION BY THIS COMPONENT OF NINE ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS, DESPITE THIS COMPONENT'S LACK OF DATA DEMONSTRATING THE EXTENT OF DELAY REDUCTION ACCOMPLISHED. THE GOAL OF DISPOSING OF 150 TO 200 CASES PER MONTH WAS NOT MET, BUT THIS WAS DUE TO THE INADEQUATE STAFFING OF THE VISITING JUDGES COMPONENT. DESPITE THE LACK OF QUANTITATIVE DATA, THIS COMPONENT WAS JUDGED A SUCCESS AND THE DECISION MADE TO CONTINUE IT BEYOND THE DECEMBER 31, 1974 EXPIRATION OF GRANT FUNDING. (BOTH THE VISITING JUDGES AND ASSISTANT COUNTY PROSECUTORS PROJECTS WERE COMPONENTS OF THE PRE-TRIAL AND POST-ADJUDICATION DELAY REDUCTION PROJECT, WHICH IN TURN WAS A PART OF THE ADJUDICATION OPERATING PROJECT, ONE OF FIVE ANTI-CRIME PROGRAMS OF THE CLEVELAND/CUYAHOGA COUNTY (OH) IMPACT CITIES PROGRAM.) (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)