NCJ Number
46152
Date Published
1977
Length
68 pages
Annotation
CASE LOADS, CASE DISPOSITIONS, REFORMS ATTEMPTED, RESULTS OF THESE ATTEMPTS, AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES OF BOTH THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL DIVISIONS OF THE NEW JERSEY UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM ARE SUMMARIZED.
Abstract
THE MAJOR REFORM ATTEMPT OF 1975-1976 WAS A COORDINATED EFFORT TO REDUCE THE TIME BETWEEN ARREST AND INDICTMENT TO 45 DAYS AND TO REDUCE THE TIME BETWEEN INDICTMENT AND TRIAL TO 60 DAYS. HOWEVER, AS OF THE END OF 1977, ABOUT 24 PERCENT OF ALL CRIMINAL CASES WERE MORE THAN 1 YEAR OLD. THE GREATER USE OF SELECTIVE INDICTMENTS AND PRETRIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS HAS HAD SOME IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM. CRIMINAL CASES FILED DURING 1976-1977 TOTALED 25,748, A 6.9 PERCENT DECREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. PRETRIAL DIVERSION DISPOSED OF 3.3 PERCENT OF THE CASES. EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM. AT PRESENT THE COURT IS ATTEMPTING TO CONCENTRATE ITS LIMITED RESOURCES ON THE MOST SERIOUS TARGETS FOR SWIFT PROSECUTORIAL ACTION. THIS INCLUDES NOT ONLY THOSE ACCUSED OF ARMED ROBBERY AND OTHER VIOLENT STREET OFFENSES, BUT ALSO THOSE ACCUSED OF CHILD ABUSE OR WIFE ABUSE, OFFENSES WHICH HAVE JUST RECENTLY EMERGED AS SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS. A SECOND MAJOR REFORM HAS BEEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW LAW WHICH ALLOWS A JUVENILE TO BE TRIED AS AN ADULT IF THE CRIME IS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT IT. AUTHORITIES HOPE THAT THIS WILL REDUCE THE PRACTICE OF USING YOUNGER ADOLESCENTS TO COMMIT SERIOUS OFFENSES BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIVE IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION -- A PRACTICE WHICH HAS BECOME INCREASING PREVALENT AMONG DRUG RINGS AND JUVENILE GANGS. THE NUMBER OF COUNTIES ORGANIZING JUVENILE INTAKE UNITS HAS INCREASED. THESE UNITS ARE NOW DIVERTING A LARGER NUMBER OF FIRST-TIME OFFENDERS AND JUVENILES IN NEED OF SUPERVISION. CURRENT PROJECTS ARE A RESTITUTION PROGRAM WHEREBY JUVENILES CONVICTED OF VANDALISM REPAY THE DAMAGES AND A NEW PROGRAM MANDATING COMMUNITY SERVICE AS A SENTENCE. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION AS A WHOLE HAS STARTED A STUDY OF SENTENCE DISPARITY AND HAS INCREASED TRAINING FOR PROBATION PERSONNEL AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN COURT DIVERSIONARY PROGRAMS. THE 'RAHWAY STATE PRISON LIFERS PROGRAM' IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. UNDER THIS PROGRAM, MEN SERVING LIFE SENTENCES VISIT JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS TO TELL THE YOUNG OFFENDERS WHAT LONG TERM SENTENCES IN ADULT INSTITUTIONS ARE LIKE. THE 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' PROGRAM IS VOLUNTARY ON THE PART OF THE ADULTS AND HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE LATER CONDUCT OF THE JUVENILES. THE NUMBER OF CASES HANDLED BY THE NEW JERSEY COURT SYSTEM HAS INCREASED BY 14 TIMES THE 1948 FIQURE, WHILE THE NUMBER OF JUDGES HAS INCREASED BY ONLY FIVE TIMES. THIS FACT IS BLAMED FOR THE GROWING PROBLEM OF BACKLOGGED CASES. MOST OF THIS ACTIVITY IS IN THE APPELLATE DIVISION. WHILE CIVIL CASES INCREASE 13 PERCENT, AND CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE CASES BOTH DECREASED ABOUT 3 PERCENT, APPEALS SHOWED A 20.6 PERCENT INCREASE OVER THE 1975-1976 CASELOADS. (GLR)