Adjudication

Tennessee does not currently collect accurate caseload data from its courts. The problem is particularly acute in the General Sessions Courts, where almost all cases originate and where the vast majority are disposed of. The problem is twofold: In some counties, no data is being collected or reported; in other counties, data is being collected and/or reported, but in a format inconsistent with the standard definition of a "case".

In 2007, Washington County implemented the Early Case Resolution (ECR) program, which is a significant criminal case and calendar management innovation and resolves 30% of criminal cases including probation violations at (or soon after) arraignment. While the ECR program has been overwhelmingly positive, it has also created new court management challenges, as release hearings for pretrial detainees have increased and are crowding the criminal arraignment docket.

A key concern of Oakland County Pretrial Services is the use of financial bonds in the state of Michigan as a part of the pretrial process. While this is standard practice in the state, it is Oakland County’s belief that this practice is not consistent with NAPSA standards.

Measures for Justice has developed a draft Justice Index that contains about 50 indicators that represent every part of the justice system from arrest to post-conviction and include interests of both victims and defendants. The measures need to be tested for feasibility and utility in order to create a core set of indicators that can be widely replicated in counties across the United States. MFJ is conducting a pilot in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin to examine data capacity at the local level and to hone down the current Justice Index measures so that they can be used nationwide.

After an initial research study published from the University of Chicago's Crime Lab showing positive results in community prosecution reducing crime, APA and the community prosecution community hopes to gain a better understanding of which community prosecution strategies result in the most cost-benefit ratio in reducing crime. They strategies can then be identified and disseminated across the nation in an effort to make community prosecution more effective and efficient.

The delivery of pretrial services in New York State appears inconsistent although the New York State Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives has adopted a set of Pretrial Release Standards. The public safety issue is that these inconsistencies create situations where subjective and non-evidence based practices are being used to assist judges in making release/bail decisions.

As the Luzerne County "kids for cash" scandal demonstrated, Pennsylvania's county funded indigent defense delivery system is failing to meet the needs of their communites and the requirements of 21st century effective legal assistance of counsel. Pennsylvania remains the ONLY STATE that provides NO general fund appropriations to support U.S. Supreme Court mandated legal representation services for adults and children facing loss of liberty.

Creation of an integrated criminal justice database for St. Louis, MO to track persons arrested for offenses involving a firearm. The requested assistance will enable the city to develop, implement, and evaluate the integrated criminal justice data base over a 12 month period.