NCJ Number
61514
Date Published
1979
Length
126 pages
Annotation
THE PROGRAM AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF NEW YORK'S MODEL JURY UTILIZATION MANAGEMENT AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE MODEL JURY UTILIZATION MANAGEMENT AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECT CONDUCTED IN NEW YORK COUNTY REDUCED COSTS IN TIME AND MONEY TO JURORS AND THE COURTS, INCREASED EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY IN THE SYSTEM, ACHIEVED MORE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION, AND MADE JURY SERVICE MORE PLEASANT FOR JURORS. THIS HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH (1) JUROR QUALIFICATION BY MAIL INSTEAD OF PERSONAL INTERVIEW; (2) AN INCREASE IN THE JURY POOL FROM 158,706 IN 1978 TO 175,067 IN 1979; (3) SAVINGS IN JUROR DAYS IN 1978 AS CONTRASTED WITH 1977; (4) SAVINGS IN JUROR FEES AND TRAVEL COSTS; (5) SHORTER TERM OF SERVICE FROM 2 WEEKS TO 1 WEEK WITH A STAGGERED CALL SYSTEM; (6) ELIMINATION OF CONSENT EXCUSES GIVEN TO SECOND-WEEK JURORS; (7) GREATER COURT PRODUCTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE WEEK; (8) INSTANT INTERCOURT COMMUNICATIONS AND JUROR MOBILITY TO RESPOND TO COURT NEEDS IN THE VARIOUS ASSEMBLY ROOMS; (9) A TELEPHONE CALL-IN SYSTEM TO INCREASE JUROR AVAILABILITY AND COST SAVINGS; (10) GREATER COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION THROUGH THE USE OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND THE INCOME TAXPAYERS LIST, AS WELL AS BRINGING MORE JURORS INTO THE SYSTEM FOR A SHORTER TERM OF JURY SERVICE; (11) IMPROVEMENTS IN JURY FACILITIES AND AMENITIES; (12) PROVISION OF A MESSAGE CENTER FOR JURORS; AND (13) A JURY ORIENTATION SESSION. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT ARE OFFERED. THE APPENDIXES PROVIDE A SIXTH QUARTERLY REPORT, A JURY EXIT QUESTIONNAIRE, A JURY SIMULATION, AND A NEW QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE. GRAPHIC AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)