NCJ Number
147789
Journal
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 64 Issue: 2 Dated: (1973) Pages: 183-189
Date Published
1973
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This analysis of problems of urban criminal courts argues that one of the main solutions to these problems is the development of management consciousness in the office of the public prosecutor and the use of a system such as the Prosecutor's Management Information System (PROMIS).
Abstract
Although the public prosecutor is often forgotten in discussions of the criminal justice system, the prosecutor is far more than a mere court functionary. The prosecutor represents a separate and equal branch of government that is intended to be independent of the court. Prosecutors who carry out their role effectively perform a vital function. The PROMIS system is an innovative, computer-based information system initiated by the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia in 1969. PROMIS contains many types of information about the crime, the defendant, the charges, court events, and priorities for pending criminal cases. The PROMIS system has led to many significant improvements in the management of the prosecutor's office. Such a system can become a major catalyst for reform and restore public confidence in the urban courts by demonstrating that the court system recognizes priorities. Footnotes