Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This research investigatd the case-processing of juveniles within New York State’s Family Court. The research will describe observed case processing hearings that occurred over 18 months and will attempt to develop a paradigm that incorporates the effects courtroom workgroup factors on case-processing decisions.
The present research seeks to extend previous work regarding the courtroom workgroup that is based on the general proposition that analogous to other workgroups they will utilize strategies analogous to those used by other organizational decision-makers who must perform their job functions in light of incomplete information and uncertain outcomes. The current research is concerned with achieving a more complete understanding of the mechanisms by which the relationships between courtroom workgroup members influence case-processing decisions. The focal point of this research is the development of an amalgamated paradigm based on organization theory, Black’s Sociology of the Case, and attribution theory to ameliorate the understanding of the mechanisms case processing.
It is the intent of this analysis to be an exploratory study to determine, preliminarily, the process by which judges, the county attorneys (as the manifestation of the legal embodiment of the State), the juvenile defense bar and various other courtroom workgroup participants operate as an organized set of functionally interdependent actors in the New York juvenile justice system. This research will employ the case study approach to analyze the process by which dispositional decisions are made and focus on the nature of the informal interpersonal relationships among the courtroom workgroup.