NCJ Number
25727
Date Published
1975
Length
26 pages
Annotation
THE ADJUDICATION OPERATING PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE TIME A DEFENDANT SPENDS AWAITING TRIAL AND A CONVICTED DEFENDANT SPENDS AWAITING SENTENCING.
Abstract
THE PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION COMPONENT, ONE PART OF THE TOTAL PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FIVE FULL-TIME AND FOUR PART-TIME ADDITIONAL PROBATION OFFICERS TO REDUCE THE POST-CONVICTION TIME FOR PREPARING PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION REPORTS TO FIVE DAYS FOR ALL IMPACT DEFENDANTS. A SPECIALLY-DESIGNED SHORT FORM FOR PRE-SENTENCE REPORTS WAS ALSO UTILIZED. THIS COMPONENT WAS EVALUATED BASED ON QUANTITATIVE DATA ON THE NUMBER OF PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATIONS ASSIGNED TO THE UNIT EACH MONTH, THE NUMBER OF FIELD VISITS MADE, AND THE NUMBER OF PROBATIONERS UNDER SUPERVISION AT THE END OF EACH MONTH AND ON A MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS OF PROGRESS REPORTS AND DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES. THE PROJECT ACHIEVED AN AVERAGE REPORT PREPARATION TIME OF SEVEN DAY WHICH, THOUGH NOT QUITE MEETING THE FIVE-DAY GOAL, REPRESENTED A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PREVIOUS AVERAGES OF THREE TO SIX WEEKS. SINCE ONLY A FRACTION OF THE IMPACT DEFENDANTS WERE REFERRED FOR REPORTS EACH MONTH, THE FOUR PART-TIME PROBATION OFFICERS WERE NOT NEEDED AND THE BALANCE OF THE TIME OF FULL-TIME PERSONNEL WAS MADE UP WITH INTENSIVE SUPERVISION OF A GROUP OF PROBATIONERS. HOWEVER, THE QUALITY OF THE REPORTS PRODUCED BY THIS COMPONENT WAS SUCH THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME JUDGES BEGAN UTILIZING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN MAKING SENTENCING DECISIONS. IN VIEW OF THE COMPONENT'S SUCCESS IN REDUCING POST-CONVICTION DELAYS AND EXPEDITING THE SENTENCING PROCESS, THE COUNTY (CUYAHOGA) DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE UNIT WITH LOCAL FUNDS. THE EVALUATORS CONCUR WITH THIS DECISION TO INSTITUTIONALIZE THE PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION COMPONENT.