INDICATORS OF JUSTICE - MEASURING THE PERFORMANCE OF PROSECUTION, DEFENSE, AND COURT AGENCIES INVOLVED IN FELONY PROCEEDINGS - ANALYSIS AND DEMONSTRATION

• NCJ Number: 36011
• Author(s): S WILDHORN; M LAVIN; A PASCAL; S BERRY; S KLEIN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 465 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-NI-99-0003
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Rand Corporation
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

SECOND REPORT IN A 2-VOLUME SERIES PRESENTING THE RESULTS OF AN 18-MONTH STUDY OF THE USE OF STATISTICAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES IN THE CONTEXT OF FELONY PROCEEDINGS.

Abstract

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE FINDINGS OF A BROAD STUDY OF PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES INVOLVED IN ADULT FELONY PROCEEDINGS - POSTARREST THROUGH DISPOSITION. THE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO IDENTIFY, SCREEN, AND EVALUATE SETS OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES ESTIMATED FROM AGENCY RECORDS AND SURVEYS OF LAY PARTICIPANTS AS INDICES OF PROGRESS AND TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR APPLICABILITY IN MULTONOMAH COUNTY (OR) AND DADE COUNTY (FL). THE AREAS OF STUDY INCLUDED CHARGING STANDARDS AND ACCURACY, PLEA BARGAINING, SENTENCE VARIATON, EVENHANDEDNESS, DELAY, AND ATTITUDES OF LAY PARTICIPANTS. IT WAS FOUND THAT IT IS FEASIBLE TO APPLY PERFORMANCE MEASURES TO DATA ALREADY AVAILABLE IN COURT AGENCIES' FILES, EVEN THOUGH INCOMPLETE, AND TO DRAW INFERENCES ABOUT WHETHER AND HOW PERFORMACE IN SPECIFIED AREAS CHANGED IN A JURISDICTION. AN INTEGRATED PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT PROGRAM (IPMP) WHICH OUTLINES THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN JOINTLY BY COURT, PROSECUTION, AND PUBLIC DEFENDER AGENCIES IN A JURISDICTION TO STRENGTHEN THE INFORMATIONAL AND ANALYTICAL BASE FOR MEASURMENT OF THEIR PERFORMANCE IS PRESENTED. FOR THE COMPANION VOLUME OF THIS REPORT, SEE NCJ-36010. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)