PROSECUTOR'S ROLE IN THE URBAN COURT SYSTEM - THE CASE FOR MANAGEMENT CONSCIOUSNESS

• NCJ Number: 13091
• Journal: LAW AND COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY Volume: 6 Issue: 5 Dated: (SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 1973) Pages: 115-125
• Author(s): W A HAMILTON; C R WORK
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: World Peace Through Law Ctr
• Publication Format: Article
• Note: ARTICLE ALSO APPEARS IN JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL LAW AND CRIMINOLOGY, V 64, N 2, P 183-189

Annotation

DISCUSSION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION, OPERATION, AND RESULTING BENEFITS FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PROMIS) IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Abstract

LACK OF MANAGEMENT CONSCIOUSNESS AND PRIORITY CASE ASSIGNMENT BY LARGE, URBAN PROSECUTORS' OFFICES HAS RESULTED IN UNDUE COURT DELAY AND PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORS. IN RESPONSE, THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HAS INSTITUTED A COMPREHENSIVE COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION SYSTEM, PROMIS, TO AID PROSECUTION PERSONNEL ACTIVELY MANAGE THEIR CASELOADS AND SYSTEMATICALLY DEVELOP AND ASSIGN PRIORITIES. THE COMPUTERIZED PROMIS FILES INCLUDE A COMPLETE SUMMARY OF INFORMATION RELATING TO THE DEFENDANT, A COMPLETE HISTORY OF CRIMINAL CHARGES GROWING OUT OF THE INCIDENT, A SUMMARY OF COURT EVENTS RELATED TO THE CHARGES, AND ALL INFORMATION OF SIGNIFICANCE CONCERNING WITNESSES OR POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CASE. BASED ON THE GRAVITY OF THE CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL HISTORY OF THE DEFENDANT, PROMIS ASSIGNS A CASE PRIORITY TO EACH OFFENSE. ON THE BASIS OF THIS PRIORITY, THE MATTER CAN BE EASILY IDENTIFIED AND SINGLED OUT FOR SPECIAL PREPARATION BY A SMALL TEAM OF PROSECUTORS. DATA ARE INDEXED BY POLICE COMPLAINT NUMBER, DEFENDANT FINGERPRINT NUMBER, AND COURT DOCKET NUMBER, ENABLING RETRIEVAL OF ALL INFORMATION IN THE SYSTEM PERTAINING TO A CRIME, A CRIMINAL, OR A SINGLE CASE. IN ADDITION TO THE FUNCTIONAL EVALUATION OF THE OFFICE'S OPERATIONS NECESSITATED BY THE INSTITUTION OF PROMIS, NUMEROUS OTHER MANAGEMENT BENEFITS HAVE RESULTED. THESE INCLUDE FORMATION OF THE SPECIAL LITIGATION UNIT TO PROSECUTE SERIOUS OFFENSES OR OFFENDERS, DEVELOPMENT OF A PROCEDURE MANUAL TO GUIDE THE INDIVIDUAL PROSECUTOR, THE REQUIREMENT THAT PROSECUTION RECORDS CONTAIN REASONS FOR ALL DISCRETIONARY DECISIONS, AND A NEW EMPHASIS ON REVIEW, PLANNING, AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT. SERIOUS PROSECUTORIAL RESEARCH USING THE GROWING PROMIS DATA BASE IS PLANNED. AS A CONTINUATION OF PROMIS, 'PROMIS II' HAS RECENTLY BEEN INSTITUTED. PROMIS II FEATURES TELEVISION TYPE SCREENS WITH TERMINALS THROUGHOUT THE OPERATION SO THAT ALL PROSECUTORS MAY INSTANTLY QUESTION THE DATA BASE CONCERNING DEFENDANTS, CASES, POLICE OFFICERS, CASE AGES, OR WITNESSES.