NCJ Number
125874
Date Published
1990
Length
198 pages
Annotation
This analysis of the current use of videotaping of trials in State courts is designed to give State court chief justices, trial court presiding judges, and administrative and support personnel the necessary background information for making an informed judgment about whether and how to use videotapes as official court records.
Abstract
Study information came from an evaluation of existing programs in Louisville and Richmond, Ky.; Kalamazoo and Pontiac, Mich.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Vancouver, Wash. Individual sections outline the history of videotaped trial records, describe the equipment found in all courts that use video recording to make the official record, and describe the court system and administrative structure of the six courts studied. The evaluations used the following 10 criteria: (1) accuracy of the record, (2) ease of review, (3) expense, (4) record availability, (5) system reliability, (6) obtrusiveness, (7) preservation of the record, (8) policy flexibility and integration with other technology, (9) effect on the court system and legal practice, and (10) personnel resistance to video recording. Recommendations on how to implement a system, tables, figures, footnotes, and appended attorney questionnaire and results, list of individuals interviewed, and examples of enabling rules and orders.