What's Changing in Prosecution? Report of a Workshop (2001) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
4 Accountability and Management
4 Accountability and Management
Pages 22-28
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 22... ...
The principal use of technology is to solve crimes and to build evidence in cases, rather than for more sophisticated management of the prosecution function. Generally, prosecutors have been unsuccessful in making changes in office management to deal with the extent to which power is concentrated at relatively low levels.
|
From page 23... ...
It obtains basic information on staffing ancl operations ancl on current topics such as the use of innovative prosecution techniques, intermediate sanctions, juvenile cases transferred to criminal court, actions against prosecutors ancl other professional staff, ancl work-relatecl assaults ancl threats (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 20001. In aclclition, BJS develops special reports on selected topics such as its re
|
From page 24... ...
It was pointed out that the prosecutor has a unique perspective in that he represents the only part of the criminal justice system that touches every other part, and therefore can really think about crime control strategy and not be confined to one part of the system. Some workshop participants expressed surprise that most prosecutors only rarely involve themselves in nity problem-solving activities other than bringing cases to trial.
|
From page 25... ...
Nevertheless, many workshop participants expressed the opinion that prosecutors are integral to models of community justice, and noted that a policy leadership role is feasible if prosecutors negotiate with other interested parties as equal and parallel entities. It is also important to take on manageable issues where cooperation will have tangible positive outcomes for all of the justice system actors and the community.
|
From page 26... ...
Several workshop participants expressed concern that discretionary decisions that may profoundly affect the lives and futures of individuals and their families are frequently in the hands of young and relatively inexperienced attorneys who must decide whether to bring charges under broadly written and vague statutes defining the elements of an offense. As stated previously, beyond these statutes, few guidelines and virtually no controls exist over whether and what to charge, and on what terms to bargain.
|
From page 27... ...
The deterrent effect of criminal statutes may be undermined by guidelines if defense attorneys and others know that for certain first offenses minor crimes such as shoplifting, or even felonies plea bargains to lesser charges are office policy (Vorenberg, 19811. One prosecutor at the workshop pointed out that in many jurisdictions, the known proclivities of individual judges to give specific sentences for specific crimes provide a very real check on the prosecutor's discretion.
|
From page 28... ...
Several participants observed that improving the management of discretion is an important topic for future research on the prosecution function.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.