NCJ Number
98061
Date Published
1984
Length
37 pages
Annotation
This comparasion of the characteristics of clients of the Los Angeles Conciliation Court, the Family Relations Division of the Connecticut Superior Court, and the Domestic Relations Division of the Hennepin Family Court (Minn.) assesses their evaluations of the mediation experience and its impact on case resolution, interspousal relations, and parent-child relationships.
Abstract
At each site, a sample of clients who were to use the court's mediation services was identified and administered a questionnaire prior to the initiation of mediation and approximately 15 weeks later. A third phase is also planned after a 12-month interval. Analysis reveals only modest differences in client types, program structures, and user reactions. Specifically, findings reveal that mediation clients include individuals of diverse educational and occupational backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities. Substantial -- and comparable -- proportions of respondents at each site report serious disagreements regarding custody and/or visitation and long-standing spousal communication problems prior to mediation. While the average number of mediation sessions and hours per case varies somewhat by site, roughly comparable proportions of respondents report reaching some agreement on custody and/or visitation. User satisfaction levels are also quite similar and generally high across all sites. However, many who report having reached agreements on custody or visitation also maintain that their problems have not been solved. Conversely, clients who fail to produce agreements in mediation are commonly satisifed with the process. Eight tables and 18 references are included.