Expedited Drug Case Management Programs: Issues for Program Development

EDCM rationalizes the court's case processing system by differentiating between cases according to their expected demand on the docket. This is done without compromising legal safeguards. The assumption of EDCM programs is that all cases do not need to follow the same court processing sequence from arraignment to disposition and sentencing. This evaluation of the three EDCM programs focused on their developmental stage, their planning, and their early implementation. The evaluation consisted of a qualitative assessment that focused on problems and issues that affected case processing times and that were likely to enhance or impede program success. It also used a quantitative assessment of the outcome and process variables to test the validity of the program's assumptions, to identify the factors that affected the program and its objectives, and to estimate the impact of changes under various conditions or with various models. The qualitative analysis was conducted through on-site visits by a team of experts, and the quantitative analysis was based on a time-series analysis. Because the Marion County program was started but did not become operational, a chronology of the events that led to its termination is presented so as to identify the reasons for the failure. Keys to the successful development of EDCM programs are featured, and their future directions are discussed. 9 tables and 6 references