NCJ Number
18478
Date Published
1974
Length
141 pages
Annotation
THE SIX CIRCUIT COURT, WHOSE JURISDICTION INCLUDES NEW HAVEN, WOODBRIDGE, AND BETHANY, HANDLES ALL CRIMINAL OFFENSES WHOSE MAXIMUM PENALTY DOES NOT EXCEED FIVE YEARS IMPRISONMENT ADN/OR A FINE OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Abstract
THIS STUDY WAS BASED ON A 100 PERCENT SAMPLE OF CASES FOR THREE MONTHS (EXCLUDING MOTOR VEHICLE AND SIMPLE INTOXICATION CASES). DEFENDANTS WERE IDENTIFIED AT DISPOSITION AND THEIR RELEVANT PRETRIAL HISTORIES TRACED, BACK. THIS ANALYSIS IS PRESENTED IN TWO PARTS. PART ONE INCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEFENDANTS AND THE TYPES OF CHARGES BROUGHT AND CONSIDERS THE CONDITIONS AND CONSEQUENCES OF AN ARRESTEE'S PRETRIAL STATUS. ALSO DISCUSSED IS THE TIME SPENT IN DETENTION, THE SCOPE OF THE NONAPPEARANCE PROBLEM, AND THE CORRELATES AND DETERMINANTS OF REARREST FOR ALLEGED CRIME WHILE ON BAIL. IN ADDITION, TWO PRETRIAL PROGRAMS, DEALING WITH DIVERSION AND POLICE CITATION, ARE CONSIDERED TO ILLUSTRATE HOW THE OPERATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES CAN BE EXAMINED IN LIGHT OF THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. PART TWO DESCRIBES IN DETAIL A NUMBER OF THE MORE IMPORTANT DECISION-MAKING AGENCIES AND PROCESSES IN THE PRETRIAL SYSTEM AND IDENTIFIES THE FORMAL DUTIES AND INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF THE VARIOUS OFFICIALS. THIS IS DONE BY FIRST IDENTIFYING THE MAJOR ACTORS AND THEN SUMMARIZING AND SYNTHESIZING DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS AND OBLIGATIONS AS IDENTIFIED BY STATUTE, APPLICABLE CASE LAW, AND AGENCY GUIDELINES AND DIRECTIVES. THE PRETRIAL RELEASE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES OR PROCESSES ARE EXAMINED INDIVIDUALLY AND IN DETAIL; THE POLICE, THE BAIL COMMISSION, CIRCUIT AND SUPERIOR COURTS, AND SURETIES. THE NEW HAVEN PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAM IS ALSO HIGHLIGHTED. A SUMMARY OF 43 MAJOR FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS FROM PART ONE OF THIS STUDY IS INCLUDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)