IMPROVING WITNESS COOPERATION - SUMMARY REPORT OF DC (DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) WITNESS SURVEY AND A HANDBOOK FOR WITNESS MANAGEMENT

• NCJ Number: 32912
• Author(s): F J CANNAVALE; W D FALCON
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 64 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-NI-99-0013
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: INSLAW
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY PROBED THE REASONS PERSONS IDENTIFIED AS WITNESSES WERE LABELED LATER AS 'UNCOOPERATIVE' BY PROSECUTORS.

Abstract

A SAMPLE OF KNOWN WITNESSES, DRAWN FROM CASES REJECTED OR DROPPED BY PROSECUTORS BECAUSE OF WITNESS PROBLEMS, WAS INTERVIEWED. THE STUDY WAS BASED ON DATA OBTAINED FROM THE WASHINGTON, D.C., PROMIS (PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM) AND A SERIES OF WITNESS INTERVIEWS. THE MAJOR CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY IS THAT COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN POLICE/PROSECUTOR AND WITNESSES PREVENTED THE PROSECUTORS FROM ASCERTAINING THE TRUE INTENTIONS OF MANY WITNESSES. HOWEVER, SYSTEMRELATED DIFFICULTIES, INCLUDING TRIAL DELAY, ALSO INFLUENCED WITNESSES NOT TO COOPERATE. THE SOLUTIONS TO THE COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS MUST BE EFFECTED THROUGH BETTER MANAGEMENT OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. VERIFICATION OF WITNESSES NAMES AND ADDRESSES, MAINTENANCE OF ACCURATE WITNESS RECORDS, AND BETTER COORDINATION AMONG POLICE, PROSECUTION, COURT, AND WITNESSES, ESPECIALLY IN CONTINUANCES, ARE VIABLE SOLUTIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)