The Utah Judicial Council implemented a court performance measurement system designed to assist courts in identifying and monitoring key performance metrics. Developed in part by the National Center for State Courts, the system aims to help courts make improvements to better serve public needs.
System Overview and Purpose
The performance management system includes various reports and assessments. These measures evaluate access and fairness in the courts through customer survey responses, as well as the effective use of jurors by comparing the number of citizens who served to those selected from the pool.
Key Metrics and Case Tracking
Other metrics include clearance rates, which measure disposed cases as a percentage of filed cases, and specifically for juvenile courts, adjudicated referrals as a percentage of initiated referrals. The system also tracks the age of active pending cases and the time to disposition. In January 2013, the Utah Judicial Council adopted guidelines suggesting that 95% of case dispositions should meet established time goals.
Financial Monitoring and Public Trust
Additional performance tracking involves monitoring restitution, fines, and fees, specifically regarding outstanding amounts owed to victims and uncollected court-ordered costs. The system also utilizes surveys to measure court employee satisfaction, public trust, and confidence in the courts.
Mission and Community Accountability
The mission of the Utah Courts is to provide an open, fair, efficient, and independent system for the advancement of justice under the law. This includes providing a Juvenile Court Report Card to the community to update taxpayers on the performance of the juvenile justice system.
