NCJ Number
46434
Date Published
1977
Length
347 pages
Annotation
AN ANALYSIS OF HOW TO ARRIVE AT AN OPTIMUM LEVEL OR MIX WHEN CONFRONTED WITH ALTERNATIVE POLICY DECISIONS, ESPECIALLY DECISIONS RELATING TO THE LEGAL PROCESS, IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
LEGAL POLICY OPTIMIZING MODELS ARE DEFINED BY THE AUTHORS AS SYSTEMS OF QUANTITATIVE STATEMENTS DESIGNED TO ENABLE GOVERNMENTAL DECISIONMAKERS TO ARRIVE AT DECISIONS THAT WILL MAXIMIZE QUANTITATIVELY MEASURED GOALS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. THIS BOOK IS DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR PARTS. PART ONE DEALS WITH FINDING AN OPTIMUM LEVEL FOR POLICIES INVOLVING VALLEY-SHAPED COSTS OR HILL-SHAPED BENEFITS. THE GENERAL RULE IS TO CHOOSE THE ALTERNATIVE THAT MAXIMIZES NET BENEFITS, WHERE NET BENEFITS ARE TOTAL BENEFITS MINUS TOTAL COSTS. THE OPTIMUM LEVEL PROBLEM IS ANALYZED WITH EMPIRICAL DATA FROM THE PRETRIAL RELEASE SITUATION, AND THE OPTIMUM JURY SIZE PROBLEM IS TREATED. IN PART TWO, THE PROBLEM ADDRESSED IS THAT OF FINDING AN OPTIMUM MIX AMONG COMPETING POLICIES. THE BASIC RULE FOR THIS QUESTION IS TO ALLOCATE TO ACTIVITIES OR PLACES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUDGET AVAILABLE AND THE SLOPES OR MARGINAL RATES OF RETURN FOR EACH ACTIVITY OR PLACE. ALLOCATION EFFORTS AMONG CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVITIES RELATING TO VOTING, SCHOOLS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS ARE STUDIED. A STUDY ON ALLOCATING DOLLARS AMONG GEOGRAPHICAL PLACES IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE NATIONAL CRIME OCCURRENCE IS ALSO PRESENTED. THE FINAL SECTION OF THE BOOK DEALS WITH PROBLEMS WHICH CAN BE VIEWED AS OPTIMUM LEVEL OR OPTIMUM MIX PROBLEMS. THE MAIN ISSUE INVOLVES FREE PRESS VERSUS FAIR TRIAL WITH REGARD TO PREJUDICIAL PRETRIAL PUBLICITY. SUPPORTING DATA AND DOCUMENTATION ARE APPENDED TO EACH CHAPTER, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (BAC)