NCJ Number
100776
Date Published
1985
Length
143 pages
Annotation
This evaluation assesses the administrative cost and efficiency of the Florida 11th Judicial Circuit's experimental use of closed circuit television (CCT) to conduct first appearance-felony bond hearings.
Abstract
After booking, the felony defendants reside in a large holding cell on the jail's second floor. They appear before a judge via CCT in the jail chapel, which is also on the second floor. In April 1985, the evaluators conducted interviews and distributed questionnaires to obtain information on technical problems, cost, security, the physical facility, and legal issues associated with the program. Written questionnaires were given to the judges, assistant public defenders, private defense attorneys, assistant State attorneys, and defendants to obtain their perceptions of the system. Advantages of the system are cost savings from not having to transport defendants to the courtroom, public attendance at the courtroom hearings (not previously allowed for security reasons), and reduced security risks. Disadvantages are the defendant's not appearing in person before the judge, technical problems that hamper communication between the parties, perceptions of cursory treatment of the bond issue, and the difficulty of transcribing hearings from videotape. Overall, the advantages of the system warrant its permanent institution. Technical quality must be upgraded to facilitate communication between defendants and their attorneys. Appendixes contain questionnaires and supplementary information.