NCJ Number
129194
Date Published
1990
Length
45 pages
Annotation
Information from court records, interviews, and case studies formed the basis of an analysis of the impact of cases involving crack cocaine on court caseloads and prosecutorial and judicial decisions in New York City.
Abstract
Data were gathered starting in May 1989 and included information on court cases from 1983 to 1988. Findings showed that the increase in crack arrests has placed a burden on the New York City court and jail systems, has affected court decisionmaking, and has placed severe strains on the criminal justice system. Results indicated the need for ongoing, mutually supportive linkages among all components of the criminal justice system, the involvement of the courts in strategic planning and resolution of case-management issues, and attention to social policy issues in interagency meetings. Other needs are strong leadership by the judicial branch, the mobilization of resources to address the effects of caseload pressures, the sharing of case information among agencies, efforts to educate the public regarding the limitations of the court's ability to address crime, and efforts to involve treatment and prevention as ways to reduce drug-related crime and the initiation into illicit drug use. Additional recommendations, tables, and 35 references