The other day, as I was speeding down the highway, I thought, what if I get caught? What will the fine be? Will I lose any points? Maybe I should slow down; it's just not worth it. Save a minute here and gain an hour there. Ah, the words of my mother entering my decision-making process.
During the brightness of a Monday morning, the same types of questions came to mind when I thought about the court system. What if the court system was found to be inefficient? To what extent do employees contribute to the court's mission? In what ways does the community provide input into the court's strategic direction? Is the administration of the court meeting client expectations?
Perhaps the best example of a court system, which has actively pursued community based strategic planning and assessment are those found in California. "Since its inception in 1992, the Strategic Plan has provided a vision and direction for the California court system. The state's courts have recently navigated some of the most significant initiatives and reforms in our history. Among the most profound are the transition from local to state funding of the trial courts, the unification of trial courts, the implementation of jury system improvements, a comprehensive program to increase the number and quality of court interpreters, and ongoing advances in the use of technology to improve court efficiency and access" (Ronald M. George - Chief Justice of California and Chair of the Judicial Council and William C. Vickrey - Administrative Director of the Courts and Secretary of the Judicial Council, in Strategic Plan for Judicial Court of California, March 2000).
Beginning in 2002, California "courts will be asked to indicate how their budget requests correlate to their specific objectives in their plan"
(Collaborations - The Newsletter for California's Community-Focused Court Planning and Court Community Outreach Initiatives, Vol. 3, Issue 4, Fall/Winter 2001). As a result, it is likely that courts
that are run more efficiently will have higher funding levels for staff, technology, and other critical court resources. Performance Evaluations are critical to understanding court goals and objectives within a Strategic Plan. At this point, most state court systems have not instituted any directives for the courts to pursue a Strategic Plan with Performance Evaluations. Certainly, California has benefited from Performance Evaluations and Strategic Plans to further their goals and objectives. In the past,
THE
HILL
GROUP,
INC., in collaboration with Straub & Associates, has developed and implemented a customized series of survey instruments for several state court systems, including the Superior Court of California, the largest trial court system in the nation.
Our Court Performance Assessment System includes a suite of seven surveys targeted to diverse aspects of court operations and service as well as diverse populations who use services or benefit from the judicial system. The benefits of these surveys, along with our comprehensive analysis, allow court decision-makers to:
Measure and exceed trial court performance standards
Gain insight into employees, court users, and affiliated agency motivation, needs, and concerns
Foster an open environment of genuine public participation
Develop well-informed strategies for continuous improvement
Garner citizen participation and input into court planning processes
Leverage resources to targeted priority areas
Benchmark against past performance
As the standards for court performance become increasingly challenging, courts that are exceedingly prepared with work environment and community-based knowledge, will position themselves for cutting edge success.
So, if you're with a court or happen to be speeding down the road for your next appointment…remember…THE
HILL
GROUP
- we're the folks who make the process of contesting a ticket, just a little more easy.
Dana E. Jarvis specializes in market analysis, policy analysis, and strategic planning. For a free needs assessment for your court, please contact Dana at
djarvis@hillgroupinc.com or via phone at
412.343.9393.
These materials have been prepared for educational and information purposes only. They are not consulting advice or opinions on any specific matters. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, a consultant-client relationship between The Hill Group, Inc. and any recipient of this material. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional advice.
A
Court By Another Name
