NCJ Number
51230
Date Published
1978
Length
138 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION OUTCOMES ARE PROVIDED FOR A SERIES OF PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTED IN THE COURSE OF THE PHILADELPHIA (PA.) STANDARDS AND GOALS EXEMPLARY COURT PROJECT (ECP).
Abstract
THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ECP WAS UNDERTAKEN IN AN EFFORT TO SOLVE CERTAIN OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROBLEMS OF LATE 20TH CENTURY AMERICA. A VARIETY OF STUDIES AND EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS WERE LAUNCHED IN THE COURSE OF ECP, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: (1) THE PHILADELPHIA JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM (PJIS), (2) THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (DAMIS), (3) PROJECT INTERCEPT, A PRETRIAL DIVERSION INITIATIVE, (4) A WITNESS UTILIZATION PROGRAM, (5) A PRESENTENCE STUDY EFFORT, (6) COURT VOLUNTEER SERVICES, (7) A VOICE WRITING SYSTEM FOR COURT REPORTING, AND (8) A MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING UNIT. AN EVALUATION OF THESE EFFORTS WAS CARRIED OUT BETWEEN OCTOBER 1977 AND FEBRUARY 1978. AFTER PREPARATORY LITERATURE REVIEWS APPLICABLE TO ECP, THE EVALUATORS CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS WITH THOSE INVOLVED IN ECP AND COLLECTED REPORTS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS ABOUT ACTIVITIES IN THE OVERALL PROJECT AND ITS CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS. THE CHAPTERS OF THIS REPORT ARE ORGANIZED IN THE SAME PATTERN: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO EACH ECP SUBPROJECT IS FOLLOWED WITH A SUMMARY OF ITS HISTORY AND PRESENT STATE AND EVALUATIVE COMMENTS. THE CHAPTERS ON PJIS AND DAMIS, ABOUT WHICH ADDITIONAL EVALUATIVE COMMENTS ARE PROVIDED REGARDING FUTURE OPTIONS, VARY FROM THIS FORMAT. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT ECP ACHIEVED NO BETTER THAN MIXED RESULTS AND THAT THE FAILURE OF PJIS, THE KEY ECP SUBPROJECT, TO BECOME OPERATIONAL OFFERS SIGNIFICANT LESSONS ABOUT THE UTILITY OF LARGE, CENTRALIZED DATA SYSTEMS FOR METROPOLITAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. TABLES AND FIGURES ARE PROVIDED. SOURCE MATERIALS ARE CITED.