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DECISION-MAKING BY JUDICIAL PERSONNEL IN MISDEMEANANT CASES

NCJ Number
37953
Author(s)
L BRAITHWAITE
Date Published
1976
Length
43 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A STUDY WHICH EXAMINED THE MISDEMEANOR CASE DECISIONMAKING PROCESS OF JUDGES AND PROBATION OFFICERS IN THREE LOWER COURTS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE AND RESTRUCTURE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATIONS.
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE KINDS OF INFORMATION WERE VITAL TO CRIMINAL CASE DECISIONMAKING SO THAT PRESENTENCE REPORTS COULD BE MADE SHORTER AND MORE RELEVANT. SIX JUDGES AND NINE PROBATION OFFICERS FROM THREE LOWER COURTS WERE ASKED TO VIEW AND RATE INFORMATION FROM THREE PRESENTENCE REPORTS ON THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFENDANTS. EACH RESPONDANT WAS TO EVALUATE HOW MUCH THE INFORMATION WOULD HAVE HELPED HIM REACH A SENTENCING DECISION. THE STUDY REPORTS THE PATTERNS IN DECISIONMAKING WHICH RESULTED AS THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE INCREASED AND THE DECISIONMAKING PATTERNS FOUND IN EACH TYPE OF CASE. THESE RESULTS ARE THEN APPLIED TO FINDING A METHOD FOR SHORTENING PRESENTENCE REPORTS WITHOUT LOSING IMPORTANT INFORMATION.