NCJ Number
25285
Journal
Criminal Justice Quarterly Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (SPRING 1973) Pages: 44-48
Date Published
1973
Length
5 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION OF THE ESSEX COUNTY (NJ) COMPLAINT AND INDICTMENT SECTION OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, WHICH HAS ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN CALENDAR CONGESTION AND COURT DELAY AT ALL LEVELS.
Abstract
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE STANDARD SOLUTIONS TO COURT CONGESTION - MORE COURTS AND COURT PERSONNEL - THE COMPLAINT AND INDICTMENT SECTION CONCENTRATED ON REDUCING THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND PENDING INDICTMENTS. A STUDY WAS MADE OF THE PENDING INDICTMENTS, AND ALL THOSE WHICH WERE INACTIVE DUE TO THE INAVAILABILITY OF THE DEFENDANT OR WERE OTHERWISE UNTRIABLE WERE DISMISSED. AT THE GRAND JURY LEVEL, COMPLAINTS WERE REVIEWED BEFORE PRESENTATION TO THE GRAND JURY, AND THOSE WHICH WOULD EITHER NOT WARRANT INDICTMENT OR NOT RESULT IN CONVICTION WERE BROUGHT BEFORE THE GRAND JURY AND DISMISSED. ALSO, ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS AND COUNTY DETECTIVES WERE ASSIGNED DIRECTLY TO POLICE HEADQUARTERS. UNDER THIS SYSTEM, COMPLAINTS CHARGING INDICTABLE OFFENSES WERE FILED ONLY AFTER REVIEW BY A PROSECUTOR. OTHER FUNCTIONS OF THIS SECTION INCLUDE COORDINATION OF THE PROSECUTOR'S PRE-GRAND JURY SQUAD AND NEGOTIATION OF PLEAS. AS A RESULT OF THIS SECTION'S ACTIVITIES, IN 1972 THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED WAS REDUCED BY 1,412, AND THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AWAITING GRAND JURY WAS REDUCED BY 1,603. IN THE GRAND JURY, NON-JAIL CASES ARE NOW PRESENTED WITHIN 45 DAYS, AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PREVIOUS FOUR MONTH DELAY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)