COURTS AND THE PUBLIC (FROM READINGS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE - AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SYSTEM, 1978, BY EDWARD E PEOPLES - SEE-51006)

• NCJ Number: 51008
• Author(s): H T RUBIN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Goodyear Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM THE COURTS - FULCRUM OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, 1976, BY H TED RUBIN

Annotation

THE PURPOSE, ORGANIZATION, AND STRUCTURE OF THE COURTS, THE CITIZEN'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE COURTS, PUBLIC AWARENESS OF JUDICIAL DECISIONMAKING, AND CAUSES OF PUBLIC CONCERN ARE AMONG THE TOPICS TREATED.

Abstract

THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF JUDICIAL RESPONSIBILITIES IS BRIEFLY PRESENTED, ALONG WITH CITIZEN'S RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE COURT SYSTEM. THE CITIZEN'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE COURTS IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THE FOLLOWING ROLES: AS JUROR; AS DEFENDANT OR CLIENT OF THE COURT; AS WITNESS IN COURT CASES; AS AN ELECTOR; AS TAXPAYER; AND AS A CONSUMER OF NEWS MEDIA REPORTING OF COURT ACTIVITIES. GENERAL TYPES OF COURT ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE ARE DISCUSSED, ILLUSTRATED WITH EXAMPLES FROM FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, THE NEW ENGLAND STATES, COLORADO, AND CALIFORNIA. A CHART SHOWS THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COOK COUNTY, ILL., COURT SYSTEM. SOME OF THE FACTORS AND PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN JUDICIAL DECISIONMAKING ARE ALSO CONSIDERED. DECISIONMAKING TRENDS OF THE WARREN AND BURGER ERAS OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ARE EXAMINED. ELEMENTS OF COURT EVALUATION ARE DISCUSSED AS MEANS FOR IMPROVING ALL ASPECTS OF COURT FUNCTIONING. CAUSES OF PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE COURTS ARE CONSIDERED UNDER THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, INSUFFICIENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCEDURES AND PROBLEMS OF COURTS, COURT CONCERN FOR THE RIGHTS OF DEFENDANTS, COURT DELAYS AND INEFFICIENCIES, PUBLIC INTOLERANCE OF JUDICIAL SENTENCING PRACTICES, AND DEFECTS IN RELATED CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES. REFERENCES AND JUDICIAL DECISIONS ARE CITED. (RCB)