NCJ Number
83829
Date Published
1981
Length
205 pages
Annotation
Findings from a study of the juvenile justice system in New York City conducted by the Community Service Society underscore the dilemmas facing the family court; further discussion of the research findings is encouraged.
Abstract
During the 1970's, high levels of juvenile crime were a source of major public concern. The family court was a target of criticism because many delinquent acts were committed by youngsters known to the court. This study focused on problems experienced by the court in processing cases and on underlying forces contributing to the court's difficulties. The inquiry was addressed to the two largest courts in the city -Brooklyn and the Bronx. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. The court experiences of 500 youngsters were tracked over an 18-month period. Findings revealed that the due process theme emerged strongly in the family court, although aggressive prosecution on more serious charges tended to overshadow this emphasis. The family court is accurately characterized as a poor people's court. Organization of the court itself explained some of the more pressing problems. Crowded waiting areas invite arguments between complainants and defendants, and because of current scheduling practices, parties are frequently required to wait many hours before their cases are called. An imbalance in the relative power of public prosecutors and public defenders represents an additional explanation of the operational difficulties. Although resource deficiencies negatively affect the quality of the court's services, organizational problems appear to go beyond funding concerns. Two appendixes, a glossary, and 121 references are provided.