Trial Courts as Organizations: A Critique and Synthesis (From Administration and Management of Criminal Justice Organizations: A Book of Readings, Second Edition, P 51-59, 1994, Stan Stokjovic, et al, eds. -- See NCJ-161200)

• NCJ Number: 161202
• Author(s): E Clynch; D W Neubauer
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 19 pages
• Sale Source: Waveland Press, Inc.
• Publication Type: Research (Theoretical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

The authors believe that viewing trial courts from an organizational perspective has great potential, suggest that the informal work group is the most appropriate concept from organization theory to explain behavior in criminal trial courts, and use the informal work group framework to structure findings generated by previous studies of trial courts.

Abstract

The extent to which persons are attached to an informal work group vary and these differences are reflected in the level of group solidarity or cohesion; the higher the level of cohesion, the more likely members share attitudes and behavior expectations that influence individual task performance. Major factors involved in work group formation and cohesion encompass interaction among participants, actor discretion to carry out tasks, interdependent and interrelated work, potential group members with similar characteristics, and potential group members with personal psychological needs that can be fulfilled through interaction with group peers. The impact of informal court work groups on behavior is discussed in terms of modifying formal lines of authority, shared norms, rewards and sanctions for compliance with group norms, goal modification, and socialization. Implications of the informal work group framework for court reform efforts are considered, and benefits of using organization theory concepts to study internal operations of criminal trial courts are noted. 83 references, 4 footnotes, and 1 figure