NCJ Number
74999
Date Published
1980
Length
409 pages
Annotation
This two-part report presents data showing the compliance rates in U.S. district courts with provisions of the Speedy Trial Act of 1974 for cases disposed of between July 1, 1979 and June 30, 1980 as well as summaries of the final plans for implementation submitted by each district.
Abstract
The district courts had an overall compliance rate of 94.4 percent for defendants who entered the second time interval. Incidences of excludable delay when speedy trial limits did not apply were recorded for 36.1 percent of the 32,589 defendants who came under the provisions of the act, and 51 percent of those were attributed to motions filed by counsel. The district court criminal caseload is decreasing, due primarily to the change in prosecution priorities focusing on white collar crime political corruption, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking. The summaries of the final implementation plans are based on 85 plans submitted by Speedy Trial Planning Groups; 15 districts adopted early sanctions and were not required to file plans. Although a few districts noted problems with compliance, most noted significant improvements, including the upgrading of communications, standardization of forms and reporting systems, and use of automated data systems developed for district court speedy trial data. The first appendix contains tables showing net processing times, incidence of and reasons for excludable delay, a summary of District Court use of detention, all cases disposed in district courts in fiscal 1979 and 1980, and the age of the pending civil caseload for 3 years. Other tables show the net time required to dispose of cases prosecuted under the provisions of the act as amended in August 1979 by major offense, and summarize by district the number of matters submitted for prosecution and the number actually prosecuted. The text of the act as amended is provided in another appendix, and a study of the impact of the Speedy Trial Act on the civil caseload of the district courts is also appended. Author abstract modified.