NCJ Number
30003
Date Published
1975
Length
52 pages
Annotation
DISCUSSION OF THE METHODOLOGY TO BE USED IN THIS STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRETRIAL SCREENING FOR INFLUENCING QUALITY OF JUSTICE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
THIS DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: METHODS OF EVALUATION, EVALUATION DESIGN, CASE DISPOSITION DECISION POINTS, EVALUATION MEASUREMENTS, AND VERIFICATION AND ELABORATION OF THE TYPOLOGY WHICH REPRESENTS THE VARIOUS GOAL AND POLICY ORIENTATIONS OF THE PROSECUTORS. TWO METHODS OF EVALUATION (MEASURES OF ECONOMIES AND MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS) ARE PROPOSED, THE PRINCIPAL FOCUS BEING ON THE LATTER. SEVERAL EVALUATION DESIGNS ARE EXAMINED AND THE USE OF AN INTERRUPTED TIME SERIES DESIGN IS PROPOSED. CONSIDERATION OF THE VARIOUS POINTS WITHIN THE PROSECUTION PROCESS AT WHICH CASE DISPOSITIONS CAN OCCUR INCLUDES A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE REASONS FOR EACH DECISION REACHED AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT DECISION. THE EVALUATION MEASUREMENTS DESCRIBED ARE THE STANDARD SET OF CASES, THE CASE EVALUATION SYSTEM, CASE DISPOSITIONS, STRATEGIES, AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION PATTERNS. DISCUSSION OF THE METHODOLOGY IS FOLLOWED BY A WORK STATEMENT WHICH OUTLINES A SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING THE TASKS PROPOSED IN THIS PAPER, AND FOR DOING THE NECESSARY ANALYSIS, RESEARCH, AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION. FOR OTHER PRETRIAL SCREENING PAPERS IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ-30004-07.