NCJ Number
53837
Date Published
1977
Length
340 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTIVE MODELS ARE DEVELOPED FOR CRIMINAL COURTS IN GENERAL AND FOR THE FLORIDA COURTS. A DYNAMIC SIMULATION MODEL BASED ON THESE DESCRIPTIONS IS USED TO EXAMINE PLEA BARGAINING, FLAT-TIME SENTENCING, AND OPERATIONS.
Abstract
THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS EXAMINE THE OPERATION OF ADULT CRIMINAL COURTS, IDENTIFYING THE DECISION POINTS AND DESCRIBING POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF CHANGES IN PROCEDURE. THE USE OF A DYNAMIC SIMULATION MODEL TO INVESTIGATE THESE CHANGES IS DESCRIBED AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH A MODEL, BASED ON THE DYNAMO SIMULATION LANGUAGE, IS DETAILED. THIS DISCUSSION IS AMPLY ILLUSTRATED WITH FLOW CHARTS AND DIAGRAMS. FINALLY, THE DYNAMO MODEL IS USED TO INVESTIGATE RESOURCE ALLOCATION, THE ELIMINATION OF PLEA BARGAINING, AND MANDATORY OR FLAT-TIME SENTENCING. EQUATIONS FOCUS ON THREE MAJOR DECISION POINTS: CHARGING, BARGAINING, AND SENTENCING. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT IF RESOURCES ARE INSUFFICIENT, CASES MUST BE FUNNELED OUT OF THE SYSTEM BY EXPEDITING PROCEDURES AT ONE OF THESE POINTS. IT IS CONCLUDED ALSO THAT ELIMINATION OF PLEA BARGAINING AND THE INTRODUCTION OF FLAT-TIME SENTENCING WILL MERELY CHANGE THE POINT OF DISCRETION FROM BARGAINING OR SENTENCING TO CHARGING. A DISCUSSION ON DISCRETION CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. TABLES, FIGURES, AND CHARTS PRESENT THE STUDY DATA. A TECHNICAL APPENDIX CONTAINS THE MATHEMATICAL DATA. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.