TY - GEN T1 - 2H: Public Defenders and Time Management of Cases AU - Crossfield, Marion AB - A significant majority of crimes in the United States end in a plea deal. While individuals are guaranteed the right to counsel, public defenders are often overworked and short on time. The court system itself is generally overworked, and cases rarely receive the attention required to properly understand all the possible evidence. This leads to people, generally of lower economic status, having a criminal record that they may not have otherwise had. I plan to observe a courtroom in Fulton County for a day. I will time each case presented and note the main facts of the case, without any identifying information about the defendants. This information will seek to better understand if the length of a case corresponds with its complexity, level of offence, and time of day. The information noted will include offence, gender, race, and age of the defendant, length of the case, time of day, and the presiding judge. Given the high rates of crime in Fulton County, and around the Atlanta area especially, I want to research whether some cases are given priority and why, or if all cases have approximately the same length. To help ensure the data is accurate, I will be choosing one type of court and staying within the jurisdiction of those particular cases. DA - 2021-3-26 PY - 2024 PB - unav N1 -

Acknowledgements:

Dr. Scott Meachum

ER -