NCJ Number
17174
Date Published
1974
Length
84 pages
Annotation
A REPORT WHICH IDENTIFIES AND DESCRIBES THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF CONSENSUS REACHED BY AN IMPORTANT STATEWIDE GROUP OF CITIZENS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS ON PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
THE CONFERENCE, SPONSORED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA JOINT COUNCIL ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ITS COMMITTEE FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS, ENLISTED THE PARTICIPATION OF SOME 300 PENNSYLVANIA OFFICIALS AND CIVIC LEADERS IN IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMONWEALTH'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. CONFERENCE WORKSHOP DISCUSSIONS COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS, FOCUSING ON THE FOLLOWING SIX MAJOR THEMES: REVISION OF BASIC CRIMINAL JUSTICE LAWS, SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES AND CRIME PREVENTION, DIVERSION FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EFFICIENCY, ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES AFFECTING SYSTEM OPERATIONS, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION. PARTICIPANTS ALSO BALLOTED THEIR JUDGMENT AND PREFERENCES AMONG ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES AND COURSES OF ACTION FOR ACHIEVING SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SHORTEST PERIOD OF TIME. A PLENARY SESSION OF ALL EIGHT WORKSHOPS PROVIDED CROSSCOMMUNICATION AND ADDED TO THE GENERAL LEVEL OF CONSENSUS. BASED ON ANALYSIS OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY EACH WORKSHOP MODERATOR, CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS SUPPORTED, EITHER EXPLICITLY OR IMPLICITLY, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEARLY 100 OF THE STANDARDS AND GOALS RECOMMENDED BY THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS. HIGHLIGHTS OF WORKSHOP RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, SUMMARIZED UNDER THE IDENTIFIED MAJOR THEMES, AND THE MAJOR STRATEGY PREFERENCES OF PARTICIPANTS ARE DISCUSSED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)