Effective Strategies for Improving Case Processing Times: A Study of Charleston County, South Carolina and Palm Beach County, Florida

• In Event: Case Processing Matters: The Critical Role it Plays in Jail Decarceration and Court Management

Abstract

Court delays have a significant impact on communities of color, particularly due to the disproportionate use of pretrial detention for these populations. While we know that there are clear racial disparities in case processing times, there is limited research about how these delays impact outcomes. With funding from the MacArthur Foundation through the Institute for State and Local Governance as part of the Safety and Justice Challenge, the Urban Institute is seeking to fill that research gap by conducting a mixed-methods study is to identify effective strategies for improving case processing times in Charleston County, South Carolina and Palm Beach County, Florida. The study investigates the factors contributing to prolonged case processing times and the impacts of case processing time on jail populations, case outcomes, and racial disparities in both jurisdictions. The presentation will provide preliminary findings from the collection and analysis of administrative court and prosecution data, interviews with court actors, and interviews with system-involved individuals and survivors.

Author

• Andreea Matei, Urban Institute