NCJ Number
27472
Date Published
1974
Length
24 pages
Annotation
THE PRIMARY EVALUATION ACITVITY WAS TO INTERVIEW KEY PERSONNEL REGARDING THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM IN HANDLING THE INCREASING NUMBER OF JUVENILE COMPLAINTS.
Abstract
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE TO PROVIDE A FULL TIME DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT THE COMMONWEALTH'S INTEREST IN ALL JUVENILE MATTERS, TO PRELIMINARILY SCREEN INITIATING PETITIONS ALLOWING ONLY THOSE WHICH ARE LEGALLY SUFFICIENT TO PROCEED TO COURT, TO PROVIDE FULL TIME PUBLIC DEFENDERS, AVAILABLE TO ALL INDIGENT ACCUSED JUVENILES, AND TO PROVIDE A GENERALLY MORE EXPEDITIOUS TURN-OVER OF JUVENILE CASES INCLUDING DIMINISHING OF CONTINUANCES AND ISSUANCE OF BENCH WARRANTS ETC. DUE TO FAILURE OF INTERESTED PARTIES TO APPEAR, ALL OF WHICH TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY FULL TIME SUBPOENA SERVERS. THE FULL TIME ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY INSTRUCTS POLICE OFFICERS IN THE MANDATES OF THE JUVENILE COURT ACT AND REVIEWS WITH THE POLICE THE PROPER HANDLING OF EVIDENCE, PROBABLE CAUSE, SEARCH AND SEIZURE, AND THE METHOD OF PRESENTING TESTIMONY IN JUVENILE COURT. THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY SO ASSIGNED IS THE LAISON OFFICER BETWEEN THE JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICE, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, AND THE BOARD OF JUDGES. FOUR ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS WERE ASSIGNED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE JUVENILE COURT ON A TWO AND ONE-HALF DAY PER WEEK BASIS EACH THEREBY PROVIDING FULL TIME COVERAGE TO JUVENILE COURT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)