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Measure
1.2.6: Evaluation of Accessibility and Convenience by Court Users
The
ease and convenience of conducting business with the court is measured
through a survey of regular court users (i.e., court employees, attorneys,
probation officers, and jurors).
Planning/Preparation.
Measure 1.2.3, Perceptions of Courthouse
Security, and Measure 1.4.1, Court Users’
Assessment of Court Personnel’s Courtesy and Responsiveness, also involve
surveying regular users of the court. If these measures are also being
conducted, the coordinators for these measures may find it efficient to
combine the three measures into a single survey instrument.
Review
Form 1.2.6–1.2.7, Accessibility
and Convenience of the Court. The survey form covers three subjects related
to ease of conducting business: (1) convenience and cost of access to the
building itself, (2) signs and other help for finding the right location or
service in the building, and (3) the amenities that are available to those
who are in the courthouse on business. The questionnaire should be adapted,
as necessary, to local conditions and for each of the four groups. For
instance, smaller jurisdictions conducting this measure may want to pay
particular attention to the demographic questions included on the survey
(Part IV, Background). In small jurisdictions responses to demographic
questions might reveal the identity of individual respondents. If this is a
potential problem, the court may find it best to eliminate some or all of
the demographic questions.
Data
Collection. The
questionnaire is administered following the same procedures described in the
data collection section of Measure 1.2.3.
Data
Analysis and Report Preparation. The
number and percentage of each response for each question is calculated. The
percentages can then be compared across groups. For example, do jurors
report more difficulty in getting to or conducting their business in the
courthouse? If so, court officials should investigate methods for improving
juror access to the court and its facilities. Specific problem areas may be
examined and analyzed on a situation-by-situation basis.
A
review of the responses from all four groups also will highlight those areas
in which the court generally is performing well and those areas in which
improvement is needed. For example, do people tend to have more difficulty
getting to the courthouse or in finding their way around the courthouse once
they are there? Once a court has conducted this measure, court officials
should establish benchmarks for "poor," "adequate," and
"good" ratings. For example, an "adequate" rating might
mean that less than 25 percent of the respondents report some difficulty
finding parking, and a "good" rating might mean that less than 10
percent report difficulty. Courts should strive to meet the "good"
benchmark when conducting the measure in the future. Because different
groups may experience different problems, the benchmarks might differ for
each group.
Go
to Forms 1.2.6-1.2.7
Go
to Standard 1.2
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