Pretrial Release of Felony Defendants in State Courts
Pretrial Release of Felony Defendants in State Courts

Author: Thomas H. Cohen

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2010-08

Total Pages: 18

ISBN-13: 1437932606

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Between 1990 and 2004, 62% of felony defendants in State courts in the 75 largest counties were released prior to the disposition of their case. Beginning in 1998, financial pretrial releases, requiring the posting of bail, were more prevalent than non-financial releases. This increase in the use of financial releases was mostly the result of a decrease in the use of release on recognizance (ROR), coupled with an increase in the use of commercial surety bonds. Compared to ROR, defendants on financial release were more likely to make all scheduled court appearances. Defendants released on an unsecured bond or as part of an emergency release were most likely to have a bench warrant issued because they failed to appear in court. Tables.

Defendant Rights
Defendant Rights

Author: Hamid R. Kusha

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2004-09-13

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 1576079368

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A unique handbook comparing defendant rights in legal traditions around the world in light of fast-changing developments in U.S. law since September 11, 2001, and the USA PATRIOT Act. Written for the general reader, this book examines the scope of the legal rights granted by the U.S. Constitution to those accused of a crime. Defendant Rights examines the history of the Anglo-American legal tradition and compares and contrasts this with the major international systems of the world. Of special significance are the book's sections on the development of the British Dooms Law books under the Anglo-Saxon kings, and the Magna Carta's impact on American legal thought. Especially important in today's political climate is the coverage of Islam's sacred text, the Koran, and the role of the Islamic Kadi.

Ensuring the Quality, Credibility, and Relevance of U.S. Justice Statistics
Ensuring the Quality, Credibility, and Relevance of U.S. Justice Statistics

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2009-10-02

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13: 0309139104

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) of the U.S. Department of Justice is one of the smallest of the U.S. principal statistical agencies but shoulders one of the most expansive and detailed legal mandates among those agencies. Ensuring the Quality, Credibility, and Relevance of U.S. Justice Statistics examines the full range of BJS programs and suggests priorities for data collection. BJS's data collection portfolio is a solid body of work, well justified by public information needs or legal requirements and a commendable effort to meet its broad mandate given less-than-commensurate fiscal resources. The book identifies some major gaps in the substantive coverage of BJS data, but notes that filling those gaps would require increased and sustained support in terms of staff and fiscal resources. In suggesting strategic goals for BJS, the book argues that the bureau's foremost goal should be to establish and maintain a strong position of independence. To avoid structural or political interference in BJS work, the report suggests changing the administrative placement of BJS within the Justice Department and making the BJS directorship a fixed-term appointment. In its thirtieth year, BJS can look back on a solid body of accomplishment; this book suggests further directions for improvement to give the nation the justice statistics-and the BJS-that it deserves.

The Oxford Handbook of Crime and Criminal Justice
The Oxford Handbook of Crime and Criminal Justice

Author: Michael Tonry

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2011-09-29

Total Pages: 991

ISBN-13: 0190453214

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Although criminal justice systems in developed Western countries are much alike in form, structure, and function, the American system is unique. While it is structurally similar to those of other Western countries, the punishments it imposes are often vastly harsher. No other Western country retains capital punishment or regularly employs life-without-parole, three-strikes, or lengthy mandatory minimum sentencing laws. As a result, the U.S. imprisonment rate of nearly 800 per 100,000 residents dwarfs rates elsewhere. The Oxford Handbook of Crime and Criminal Justice is an essential guide to the development and operation of the American criminal justice system. A leading scholar in the field and an experienced editor, Michael Tonry has brought together a team of first-rate scholars to provide an authoritative and comprehensive overview and introduction to this crucial institution. Expertly organized, the various sections of the Handbook explore the American criminal justice system from a variety of perspectives-including its purposes, functions, problems, and priorities-and present analyses of police and policing, juvenile justice, prosecution and sentencing, and community and institutional corrections, making it a complete and unrivaled portrait of how America approaches crime and criminal justice, and giving persuasive answers as to why and how it has developed to what it is today. Accessibly written for a wide audience, the Handbook serves as a definitive reference for scholars and a broad survey for students in criminology and criminal justice.