NCJ Number
82871
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This talk focuses on results of a national survey of warrant services, goals of a well-run warrant service, and ways to enhance warrant servicing.
Abstract
The survey, conducted in 1975, contacted 110 major jurisdictions and found that 56 maintained some kind of formal warrant service. Although the 56 jurisdictions used various approaches and systems, they all experienced similar problems in establishing and maintaining these systems. A program model was developed which reflected the cumulative knowledge and experience of these independent systems. The model was designed to be used as a comparison, an evaluation, and a method to avoid independent trial and error methods that were so common in the past. An effective, efficient warrant system can help a city reduce crime by apprehending criminals with outstanding warrants. Although sheriffs serve warrants as assigned by the court, police departments should serve outstanding serious warrants to reduce crime. Problems caused by inefficient warrant servicing are outlined, and goals of a well-run warrant service are discussed. These include addressing specific crime problems in the jurisdiction while concurrently ensuring that all warrants receive a specific degree of service intensity based on a predetermined priority policy, speedy apprehension, and reducing warrant backlog. Different approaches to enhance warrant servicing are presented. Questions and answers conclude the talk. The speaker is in charge of the warrant service in the Washington, D.C., Police Department.