NCJ Number
46934
Date Published
1978
Length
236 pages
Annotation
A COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTED REPORT ON HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY NATIONAL ATTEMPTS TO COLLECT AND REPORT STATE-LEVEL CASELOAD STATISTICS IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE MOST RECENT STUDY ON THE AVAILABILITY OF STATE COURT CASELOAD DATA, THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART MONOGRAPH WAS PREPARED BY THE NATIONAL COURT STATISTICS PROJECT OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS (NCSP). THE SAME PROJECT IS PRODUCING ANNUAL REPORTS OF STATE COURT CASELOAD STATISTICS, BEGINNING WITH 1975. THE STATE OF THE ART INCLUDES, IN THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS, DISCUSSIONS OF THE USES OF COURT STATISTICS, PAST EXPERIENCES IN STATISTICS-GATHERING EFFORTS, AND A DISCUSSION OF STANDARDS RELATING TO COURT STATISTICS. THE CHAPTER ANALYZING CURRENT (1975) JUDICIAL STATISTICS INCLUDES CHARTS SHOWING THE AVAILABILITY OF STATE COURT CASELOAD STATISTICS FOR 1975 FROM COURTS OF GENERAL JURISDICTION (CIVIL CASELOAD, CRIMINAL CASELOAD, JUVENILE CASELOAD, TYPE OF DISPOSITION, AND TIME INTERVAL DATA) AND FROM INTERMEDIATE APPELLATE COURTS AND COURTS OF LAST RESORT (CASELOAD STATISTICS, DISPOSITIONS, AND TIME INTERVALS). AVAILABLE TREND DATA IS ALSO LISTED ALONG A DISCUSSION OF EXISTING REPORTING SYSTEMS AND THE CURRENT STATUS OF WEIGHTED CASELOAD SYSTEMS. THE FINAL CHAPTER DISCUSSES THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRODUCING USEFUL STATISTICS IN AN ATTEMPT TO OUTLINE SOME PRIORITIES FOR OBTAINING STATISTICS THAT ARE RELIABLE (ACCURATE, COMPLETE, AND TIMELY) WITHIN STATES AND UNIFORM (WITH REGARD TO DEFINITIONS OF CLASSIFICATIONS, CATEGORIES, JURISDICTIONS, AND REPORTING PERIODS) WITHIN AND AMONG STATES. DATA FURNISHED BY THE STATES CAN THEN BE COMPILED NATIONWIDE NOT ONLY BY VOLUME OF CASES FILED, DISPOSED, AND PENDING BUT ALSO BY CASE CATEGORY IN ORDER TO PERMIT INTERSTATE COMPARISON OF KINDS OF CASES INCLUDED IN TOTAL CASELOAD. APPENDIXES GIVE DETAILED BREAKDOWNS OF THE SUMMARY CHARTS CONTAINED IN THE TEXT, EXAMPLES OF REPORTING FORMS NOW IN USE, AND EXPLANATORY MATERIAL REGARDING EARLIER SURVEYS IN THE STATE COURT STATISTICS FIELD. THE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS. THE FIRST DETAILS THE SOURCES OF RAW DATA AND INFORMATION USED TO COMPILE THE STATE OF THE ART AND THE FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. THE SECOND SECTION INCLUDES A WIDE RANGE OF ANCILLARY STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENTAL EFFORTS WHICH GENERATED OR ESTABLISHED A NEED FOR STATE COURT CASELOAD STATISTICS. A LISTING OF USEFUL GENERAL TERMS USED BY THE NCSP IS PROVIDED ALONG WITH AN INDEX INCLUDED. A GLOSSARY OF THE TERMS USED BY THE NSCP IS PROVIDED ALONG WITH AN INDEX. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--BAC)