Cook County, which includes Chicago, has been taken to task over its slow and disjointed systems that can add months, and in some cases, years, to prosecute people. Their new system aims to speed up prosecutions.
The move comes as Cook County, which includes Chicago, has been taken to task over its slow and disjointed systems that can add months, and in some cases, years, to prosecute people. The new system will also make it easier for defense attorneys and prosecutors, as well as their supervisors, to monitor progress and take in discovery.
Homicide cases in comparable cities typically take less than a year to go to trial. In Cook County, the"goal" had been a little more than two years, but cases are now taking more than four years to complete, with some stretching as long as a decade. "I think what you're discovering is a crisis," Northwestern University professor emeritus Tom Geraghty said. “I mean, four years to wait for a trial is ridiculous. Two years is ridiculous.”
The new system, developed by the firm NICE, could also help spot cases in which key evidence has not yet been submitted, as well as pinpoint prosecutors who are taking a lot longer to bring cases forward.The new system is also a leap toward technology in a county where prosecutors continue to use Windows 2000 on a computer because they receive large files that can only be opened on that operating system.
The new system will be able to read 90% of the video files the prosecutor's office receives, cutting down significantly on time.
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