U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF JUSTICE - A COMPARATIVE STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF LEGAL INSTITUTIONS OF A STATE

NCJ Number
34330
Author(s)
J E CONNOLLY
Date Published
Unknown
Length
35 pages
Annotation
DISCUSSION OF WORK ON A DISSERTATION TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF THE INCREASING BUREAUCRATIZATION OF THE COURTS ON THE PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT OF THE JUDICIARY AT THE COMMON PLEAS LEVEL IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Abstract
THE RESEARCH WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE WHAT THERE IS IN THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE TO EXPLAIN BOTH THE PROCESSES AND EFFECTS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF THE JUDICIARY. STRUCTURAL DIFFERENTIATION AND STRUCTURAL RIGIDITY SCALES WERE SET UP TO GUIDE THE RESEARCH. THE SCALES WERE USED TO ANALYZE THE RESPONSES OF THE 67 COUNTY COURT SYSTEMS TO THE PUSH TOWARD BUREAUCRATIZATION. THE RESULTS REVEAL THAT THE JUDICIARY IN ALL BUT 16 COUNTIES ARE RESPONDING IN MUCH THE SAME WAY. THE AUTHOR FEELS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT OUTCOME OF THE RESEARCH IS TO PROVIDE A FIRM THEORETICAL AND SUBSTANTIVE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH.