MARICOPA COUNTY (AZ) - THE JURY UTILIZATION AND MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 57281
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-NI-09-0002
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Maricopa Cty Government
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ASSESSMENTS OF AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JURY UTILIZATION ARE REPORTED FOR MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZ., FROM A STUDY BEGUN IN OCTOBER OF 1976.

Abstract

THE GOAL OF THE JURY UTILIZATION AND MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT IN MARICOPA COUNTY WAS PRIMARILY TO ACHIEVE MINIMUM COSTS IN JURY FEES AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES WHILE PROVIDING A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF JURORS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE PROJECT GATHERED THE DATA NEEDED TO MEASURE AND EVALUATE CURRENT UTILIZATION AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES. CORRECTIVE PROCEDURES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SYSTEM WERE THEN DEVELOPED AND ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT. THE AREAS OF JURY UTILIZATION ASSESSED AND FOR WHICH RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED INCLUDE SOURCE LISTS FOR JUROR SELECTION, JUROR QUALIFICATION AND SUMMONING, JURY PANEL UTILIZATION, RATIO OF THE NUMBER OF PROSPECTIVE JURORS ON A PANEL TO THE NUMBER NEEDED FOR A JURY, WAITING TIME FOR JURY PANELS, STARTING TRIALS, JUROR NOTIFICATION, DURATION OF JUROR SERVICE, JUROR PARKING, JUROR INFORMATION, TERM OF SERVICE, PAPERWORK, AND COSTS. IN THE AREA OF SOURCE LISTS FOR JUROR SELECTION, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE VOTER REGISTRATION LIST, WHICH WAS THE SOLE EXISTING SOURCE LIST, WAS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNTY POPULATION, 18 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER. AFTER EXAMINING OTHER LISTS, THE PROJECT STAFF RECOMMENDED THAT THE VOTER REGISTRATION LIST BE SUPPLEMENTED WITH THE DRIVER'S LICENSE LIST. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PROCESS OF SUMMONING QUALIFIED JURORS DUPLICATED EFFORT AND WAS COSTLY. COMBINING THE QUALIFICATION PROCESS (QUESTIONNAIRE MAILED OUT TWICE A YEAR) AND THE SUMMONING PROCESS (SUMMONS MAILED MONTHLY) INTO 1 MONTHLY PROCESS IS RECOMMENDED TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND THE YIELD OF THOSE AVAILABLE TO SERVE. BECAUSE ONLY 65 PERCENT OF THE PANELS REQUESTED BY THE COURTS ARE USED, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT EACH JUDGE'S SECRETARY CONTACT ALL PARTIES THE DAY BEFORE TRIAL, THAT JURY FEES BE ASSESSED BY THOSE WHO CANCEL TRIALS, AND THAT SECRETARIES REFRAIN FROM ORDERING JURIES WHEN IN DOUBT AND USE 'OVERFLOW' JURORS THE NEXT DAY. (RCB)