Efficiency, Timeliness, and Quality: A New Perspective from Nine State Criminal Trial Courts. Research in Brief

摘要

Factors that influence the timeliness and quality of felony case processing in State criminal court systems located in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Austin, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; Cincinnati, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Hackensack, New Jersey; Oakland, California; Portland, Oregon; and Sacramento, California. In each jurisdiction, researchers analyzed approximately 400 felony cases that reached resolution in 1994. This research in brief discusses a study that challenges such thinking by demonstrating that courts can, in fact, improve the timeliness of case resolution without sacrificing defendant rights or quality of justice.