NCJ Number
97481
Journal
University of Miami Law Review Volume: 38 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1984) Pages: 657-675
Date Published
1985
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article describes the videotaping of misdemeanor first appearances in Dade County, Fl.; addresses legal issues involved; and discusses participants' perceptions of such systems.
Abstract
Misdemeanor defendants are arraigned through two-way closed circuit television by a judge located in the courthouse. Defendants remain at the jail during the proceedings, which are videotaped simultaneously; the videotape becomes the official record of the proceedings. The system is successful because the courts expeditiously handle the enormous caseloads and receive financial benefits by using video arraignment. Security is maximized because the defendants do not leave the jail, and accuracy is enhanced. Nonetheless, the system does have its disadvantages: for example, the judge does not have person-to-person contact with the defendant, and there is also the potential for technical malfunction. Moreover, the use of the video system has created the need for changes in administrative procedure. An empirical study of the effects of videotaped presentations upon court personnel on jurors in Flint, Mich., found that videotaped presentations did not affect the outcome of proceedings. Surveys to determine the perceptions in the Dade County system revealed that respondents agreed that video decreases courtroom disruptions and increases judicial efficiency. Continuation of the videotaping system in Dade County is recommended. Included are 52 footnotes.