COLLECTING AND ANALYSING COURT STATISTICS - A HANDBOOK FOR THE NEW HAMPSHIRE JUDICIAL COUNCIL

• NCJ Number: 42340
• Author(s): C BRIGGS; C CHADWICK; J HELMS; L MOORE
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 58 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-013-76
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: American University
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS HANDBOOK IS THE PRODUCT OF A CRIMINAL COURTS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT TO DESIGN A MANUAL FOR GATHERING AND ANALYZING DATA FROM THE 80 MULTI-LEVEL STATE COURTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Abstract

THE FIRST SECTION REVIEWS FUNDAMENTAL STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES OF ROUNDING AND SAMPLING, AND THE CALCULATION OF THE MEAN, PERCENTAGE, AND FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION. SECTION II EXPLAINS THE USES OF COURT STATISTICS FOR CAPACITY PLANNING, OPERATIONAL CONTROL, ASSET MANAGEMENT, MEASUREMENT OF SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING GOALS, AND REPORTING, AND DEALS WITH COURT RECORDS AND OTHER SOURCES FROM WHICH USEFUL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED. THE THIRD SECTION EXAMINES STATISTICS UPON WHICH DECISION MAKING MAY BE BASED. GUIDELINES FOR USING STATISTICS ARE PRESENTED IN SECTION IV, AS IS A DISCUSSION OF BASIC REPORTING PRINCIPLES, INCLUDING THE NEED FOR CONSISTENCY, GRAPHIC PRESENTATIONS, AND PROVISION OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION IN PREPARING USEFUL AND EASILY UNDERSTOOD STATISTICAL REPORTS. THE FINAL SECTION EXAMINES THE PRINCIPLES OF DATA COLLECTION AND SAMPLING, INCLUDING LEVELS OF CONFIDENCE, REQUIRED SAMPLE SIZES, AND THE USE OF RANDOM NUMBER TABLES. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION ON SOME OF THE CONCEPTS AND STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES DISCUSSED IN THE HANDBOOK.(AUTHOR ABSTACT MODIFIED)...EB