NCJ Number
28067
Journal
SOCIAL SCIENCE QUARTERLY (MARCH 1975) Pages: 853-870
Date Published
1975
Length
18 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A CASE STUDY OF GRAND JURY OPERATIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY (TX).
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF GRAND JURY BEHAVIOR AND HOW THESE BASIC BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR. DATA FOR THE STUDY WERE DERIVED FROM CASE-BY-CASE CONTENT ANALYSIS OF 918 CASES CONSIDERED BY ONE GRAND JURY, IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER HARRIS COUNTY GRAND JURY MEMBERS, AND RESPONSES TO A QUESTIONNAIRE MAILED TO ALL PERSONS SERVING ON HARRIS COUNTY GRAND JURIES BETWEEN 1969 AND 1972. RESULTS INDICATE THAT GRAND JURY BEHAVIOR IS CHARACTERIZED BY A RAPID PROCESSING OF CASES WITH LITTLE DELIBERATION, BY LOW INTERNAL CONFLICT IN REACHING DECISIONS, AND BY OVERWHELMING APPROVAL OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THESE BEHAVIOR PATTERNS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO BECOME GRAND JURORS, INADEQUATE TRAINING, HEAVY CASELOAD, AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S MONOPOLY ON INFORMATION. SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FOR MORE RESEARCH.