NCJ Number
145979
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 66 Issue: 4 Dated: (October-December 1993) Pages: 340-352
Date Published
1993
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The interrelated issues of courtroom violence, insensitivity of courts, and responsibilities of court personnel and disputants are discussed.
Abstract
There is growing public frustration at the justice system¦s handling of cases--not only criminal cases, but especially domestic cases. The incidence of courtroom violence has increased in modern times. Much attention has been given to immediate preventive measures such as security devices and additional bailiffs, but the real solution may require early detection of disputants who are prone to violence, and a fundamental change in the way marriage, family, and divorce cases are handled. Basically, the system propagates a myth of being the guarantor of justice; in turn, people rely too much on the system to resolve disputes. Greater resolution of domestic cases would be achieved if court procedures required disputants to be responsible for their own solutions--to confront face-to- face the difficulties that may lead to tension, frustration, loss of dignity, and ultimately, violence. 8 figures and 46 references