Philadelphia Commission for Effective Criminal Justice (Pa.) Records

 

HISTORICAL NOTE
 

The Philadelphia Commission for Effective Criminal Justice was founded in 1974 by Philadelphia Bar Associa.tion Chancellor William R. Klaus and Supreme Court Judge Edmund Spaeth, Jr. to work toward major, system-wide changes in the Philadelphia criminal justice system. Re.lying on grants from area corporations and private founda.tions, the Commission's eighteen-member board of directors addressed the failure of the system to provide fair and effective criminal justice.

In the wake of the important 1972 case, Jackson v. Hendrick , which held that the conditions of confinement within the Philadelphia County prison system were unconsti.tutional and in violation of state laws, Walter Cohen be.came Master of the Court of Common Pleas. In January 1975 he also took over as Executive Director of the Philadelphia Commission, cementing a close relationship between the Court and Commission staffs. From 1975 until its funding ran out in 1979, the Commission undertook a detailed study of the conditions outlined in Jackson v. Hendrick as well as such other important criminal justice issues as calendaring of judges, community and private sector input, screening and diversion, short-term detention, and agency coordination. The staff also conducted studies involving Philadelphia's criminal justice institutions, including the municipal court, the sheriff's office and the court of common pleas. In addition to various study reports, the Commission published, in 1975, a criminal justice guide as well as a monthly news.letter, Connections .

ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT
 

The records of the Philadelphia Commission for Effective Criminal Justice consist of five series:

• Series I: Administration
• Series II: Commission Funding
• Series III: Subject File
• Series IV: Newspaper Clippings
• Series V: Addenda

Series I. Administration. The Administration series is divided into two sub-series; the first, History and Purpose, includes the background of the Commission, its statement of purpose, articles of incorporation and its memorandum of understanding. The second, Activities and Administration, contains correspondence, memoranda, minutes of meetings, reports and drafts, chronicling the decision-making and efforts of the board of directors, the director and the staff, as well as the newsletter, which outlines Commissionprogress.

Series II. Commission Funding. The bulk of this series consists of correspondence with the city private agencies and foundations concerning financial support for the Commission. Also contained in this series are budget and grant proposals, budgets, expenditures, reports to funders, accountant correspondence and grant applications which detail the Commission's project plans.

Series III. Subject Files. This series contains correspondence, notes, reports, drafts and printed material relating to various aspects of criminal justice, produced and collected for the Commission's use. Materials gathered for several longer Commission projects(BASICS, the Municipal Court Study, the Screening and Diversion Study) remain grouped together despite some overlap in the file. This series, comprised of the primary working files of the Commission, contains useful information and statistical data as well as changes proposed by the Commission's staff. The file is arranged alphabetically.

Series IV. Newspaper Clippings. The clippings, arranged chronologically, cover aspects of Philadelphia criminal justice as well as the system in other cities. Some clippings deal specifiically with the Commission's efforts at reforming the city's system.

Series V. Addenda. These are files added after the original arrangement. Most overlap with the subject files (Series III) and are arranged in a similar alphabetical order.


ACQUISITION INFORMATION

Deposited through the Organization by Walter W. Cohen, Executive Director, 1979. Accession 401.

INVENTORY

Series I: Administration

Box 1

1 Background and Activities
2 Articles of Incorporation
3 Statement of Purpose
4 Memorandum of Understanding

Administration: Administration and Planning

5 Board Biographies
6 Board of Directors, Members, 1974-1977
7 Board of Directors, Calendars, 1974-1975
8-9 Board of Directors, Correspondence, 1974-1979
10 Board of Directors, Involvement, 1975-1978
11-12 Board of Directors, Meetings Agenda, 1974-1979
13-14 Board of Directors, Meetings Minutes, 1974-1979

Box 2

15 Board of Directors, Memoranda, 1974-1978
16 Board of Directors, Notes, 1974-1975
17 Commission Activities, 1974
18 Director Reports, 1974-1975
19 Director's Assistant Correspondence, 1977-1978
20 Executive Committee Notes, 1974
21 Newsletter, 1974-1977
22-23 Newsletter Correspondence, 1974-1977
24 Newsletter Mailing List, Undated
25 Program Management Plan, 1975
26 Progress Reports, 1975-1977

Box 3

27 Project Proposals, 1974-1975
28 Projects, 1977-1978
29 Staff, 1976-1977
30 Staff Memos, 1977
31 Staff Tasks, 1976
32 Status Reports, 1975-1976


Series II: Commission Funding

1 Accountant Correspondence, 1975-1979
2 Budget and Expenditures, 1976-1977
3 Budget Proposals, 1976-1979
4 Consultants, 1976
5 Funding Proposal, 1974
6 Funding Ideas, 1974-1977
7 Grant Applications, 1975
8 Grant Proposal, 1976-1977
9 Private Sector Funding, 1976

Box 4

10 Reports to Funders, 1976-1977

Commission Funding: Correspondence
11 Booz, Allen & Hamilton, 1977-1978
12 City Controller, 1972-1977
13 City Council, 1975-1977
14 City District Attorney, 1974-1978
15 City Managing Director, 1975-1978
16 City Police Department, 1975-1978
17 City Solicitor, 1975
18 Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, 1978-1979
19 Continental Bank, 1974-1975
20 Fidelity Bank, 1974-1977
21 Fidelity Mutual Insurance Company, 1975-1976
22 First Pennsylvania, 1974-1976
23 Germantown Savings Bank, 1974-1977
24 Girard Bank, 1974-1979
25 Greater Philadelphia Movement, 1974-1977
25A Thomas Skelton Harrison Foundation
26-27 Miscellaneous Foundations, 1974-1976
28-29 William Penn Foundation, 1974-1977

Box 5

30 Pew Charitable Trusts, 1975-1979
31 Philadelphia National Bank, 1974-1977
32 Philadelphia Partnership, 1974-1975
33 Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, 1974-1976
34 Quaker Chemical Corporation, 1974-1979
35 Rohm and Haas, 1974-1979
36 Rorer-Amchen, Incorporated, 1974-1975
37 Smith-Kline Corporation, 1974-1979
38 Sun Oil Company, 1975-1977
39 Scott Paper Company, 1974-1975
40 UGI Corporation, 1975
41 John Wanamaker, 1974-1976
42 Yarway Foundation, 1975-1977


Series III: Subject File

1 Admissions and Classification, 1975
2 Affidavits, 1976
3 Alcohol Decriminalization, 1974-1975
4 Bail, 1975-1977

Box 6

5 Bail, 1975-1977
6-23 BASICS Study, 1975-1977

Box 7

24-31 BASICS Study, 1975-1977
32 Bryn Mawr, 1973-1975
33-36 Calendaring, 1976-1978
37 Charts, Undated
38 City Budget, 1976-1977
39 City of Philadelphia, 1973
40 City-State Planning, 1974
41 Civic Agency Catalog, 1975

Box 8

42 Clearinghouse,1975
43-44 Clerk of the Quarter Sessions, 1972-1977
45 Community-Based Corrections, 1972-1975
46 Community Courts, 1974-1975
47 Community Educational Programs, 1974-1975
48 Community Services, 1975-1976
49 Community Treatment Centers, 1975-1976
50 Comprehensive Plan & Study, Undated
51 Conditional Release Project, 1974-1975
52 Conferences, 1974
53 Confidentiality, 1975-1976
54 Consortium Report-Analysis, 1975-1976

Box 9

55 Consulting Research, 1972-1974
56 Contempt, 1976
57 Corrections, 1974-1976
58 Cost Analysis of Correctional Standards, 1975-1976
59 Court Bulletin, Undated
60-61 Courts, 1974, 1976
62 Crime Statistics, 1975
63 Criminal Courts Operation - Commission Report, 1975
64-66 Criminal Justice Coordination, 1972-1977
67 Criminal Justice Coordinator, 1976
68 Criminal Justice Guide, 1976-1979

Box 10

69 Criminal Justice Newsletter, 1975-1977
70 Criminal Justice Rules & Procedures, 1973-1976
71 Criminal Justice Standard & Goals, 1974
72 Criminal Justice System - Description, Undated
73 Criminal Justice System Productivity Analysis, 1975
74 Data Base, 1974-1975
75 Davis/Crawford Report, 1975
76 Decriminalization, 1974
77 Defendant Dispositions, 1977
78 Defendant's Synopsis, 1975
79 Definitions, 1974
80 Detainers, 1974-1975
81-85 Detention

Box 11

86 Detention Center Model, 1972-1974
87 Detention Evaluation Study, 1974
88 District Attorney, 1978
89 District Attorney's Advisory Committee on Prisons, 1971
90 District Attorney's Office Organization Project, 1977
91 Diversion, 1975
92 Drug Diversion, 1977
93 Drug Treatment, 1976
94 Drunk Driving, 1974
95 Due Process, Undated
96-97 Employment, 1975-1979
98 Evaluation, 1975

Box 12

99 Ex-Offenders - Programs, 1978-1979
100 Forms, Undated
101 G.S.A. Region 3, Undated
102 Health and Welfare Council Notes & Meetings, 1977
103-105 House of Representatives, 1973-1978
106 Information Sharing Models, 1974-1976
107 Information Systems, 1975

Box 13

108 Inmate Groups, 1975
109 Inmate Security - Observation, 1975
110 Inter Agency Agenda, 1975
111 Inter Agency Directions, 1974
112 Judges, 1970-1976
113 Judicial Council of Pennsylvania, 1974
114 Justice Center, 1974-1977
115 Justice Model, 1975-1976
116-117 Juveniles, 1971-1978
118 Law Cases, 1941-1976

Box 14

119 Law Students - Memos, 1975-1976
120 LEAA, 1969-1977
121 Least Restrictive Alternatives, 1976-1977
122 Legal Developments, 1971
123 Legislation - Upcoming, 1974-1977
124 Legislation Analysis, 1976
125 Legislative Committee, 1973-1975
126 Legislative Information, 1974-1976
127 Loaned Executives, 1973
128 Management in Correctional Institutions, 1973-1975
129-133 Master Planning, 1975-1976

Box 15

134 Master Planning Materials, 1975
135 Medical Research, 1972-1975
136-138 Michigan Criminal Justice Program, 1977-1978
139 Miscellaneous Notes, 1974-1975
140-141 Miscellaneous Reports and Drafts
142-144 Municipal Court Study, 1974-1977

Box 16

145-158 Municipal Court Study, 1974-1977

Box 17

159-166 Municipal Court Study, 1974-1977

Box 18

167-173 Municipal Court Study, 1974-1977
174 Observation Studies, 1968-1970
175 Operations Improvement Program, 1977

Box 19

176-183 Pennsylvania Joint Council on the Criminal Justice System, 1975-1979

Box 20

184-188 Pennsylvania Joint Council on the Criminal Justice System, 1975-1979
189-190 Pennsylvania Program for Women & Girl Offenders, 1974-1977

Box 21

191 Philadelphia City Council, 1972
192 Philadelphia Commission Directory, 1974-1976
193-199 Philadelphia Common Pleas & Municipal Courts, 1972-1978

Box 22

200 Philadelphia's Regional Planning Council, 1976- 1978
201 Plaintiff's Synopsis, 1976
202 Police, 1975
203 Political Primer, 1973
204 Priorities for Change, 1974
205-206 Priority Listing for Trials, 1975-1977
207 Prison Grievances, 1974-1975
208-210 Prison Insight Project, 1975

Box 23

211 Prison Insight Project, 1975
212 Prison Programs, 1970-1975
213-214 Prison Research, 1970-1977
215 Private Agency Survey, 1977
216-219 Private Sector, 1974-1978

Box 24

220-221 Probation Department, 1964-1976
222 Probation/Parole, 1973-1974
223 Probationer's Education, 1974
224 Psychiatric, 1975-1976
225 Quotations, Undated
226 Rape, 1975
227 Recorder's Court, 1978
228 Rehabilitation Programs, 1974-1975
229 Reserve People, 1975
230-231 Resources, 1974-1977

Box 25

232 Retainer, 1975-1976
233 Salaries and Fringe Benefits, 1974
234-242 Screening and Diversion Study, 1970-1977

Box 26

243-253 Screening and Diversion Study, 1970-1977

Box 27

254-260 Screening and Diversion Study, 1970-1977
261 Senate, Undated

Box 28

262 Senate Bill S-1, 1976
263-264 Sentencing, 1970-1978
265-269 Sheriff's Office, 1976-1978
270 Standards & Goals, 1975
271 Stanish, Walter - Memos, 1974-1975
272 Summons Project, 1974
273 Sunshine Act, 1975
274 System Analysis, 1975
275 Technical Assistance, 1975
276 Training, 1976
277 Upcoming, 1975
278 Victim Compensation, 1974-1975

Box 29

279 Volunteers, 1975-1976
280 Waymart, 1974
281 Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1977-1978
282 Women, 1975-1977
283 Women - Profile Data, 1974
284 Women- Program Proposals 1974-1975
285 Women in Criminal Justice, 1976
286 Work Release Program, 1972-1974


Series IV: Newspaper Clippings

1-4 1970-1975

Box 30

5-6 1976-1978


Series V: Addenda

Box 31

1 Agency Information
2 Agency Lists, 1974
3 American Bar Association
4 American Correctional Association, 1975
5 American Institute of Architects, 1974
6 Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, 1975
7-11 BASICS, 1974-1978
12 Bureau of Corrections, Undated

Box 32

13-14 Calendaring and Caseflow, 1976
15 Charge Code Translation, 1976
16 Children's Hospital, 1974-1975
17 Civic Agency Catalog, 1973-1975
18 Coalition Against Police Abuses, 1974
19 Commission Projects, 1973-1974
20 Common Building Task Force, 1975
21-22 Consortium-Municipal Court, 1976-1977
23 Conversations and Interviews, 1975-1976
24-27 Criminal Justice Reform, 1972-1973
28 District Attorney, 1974-1976

Box 33

29-30 Diversion, 1976-1977
31 Facilities, 1976
32-35 Funding Evaluation Report, 1975-1976
36 Greater Philadelphia Movement, 1973
37 Greater Philadelphia Partnership, 1974-1976
38 Hartford Institute of Crimal and Social Justice, 1975
39 Interview and Observation Notes, 1975-1976
40 Inter-Agency Correspondence
41 Inter-Agency Lists 42Inter-Agency Minutes, 1974-1975
43 Inter-Agency Miscellaneous, 1974-1975

Box 34

44 Legislative Committees, 1975
45-46 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1975-1976
47 Miscellaneous Information, 1975-1976
48 Municipal Court, 1975-1977
49 National Clearinghouse
50 National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 1974
51-52 Philadelphia Bar Association, 1967
53 Philadelphia Commission Employment Paper, 1975
54-56 Philadelphia Commission Reports, 1974-1976
57 Philadelphia Partnership, Incorporated, 1974
58 Philcourt and Aid Services, Undated

Box 35

59 Preliminary Hearings, 1976
60 Pre-Trial Conditional Release, 1973
61 Private Sector Workshop, 1976-1978
62 Proposal Research Project, 1977
63 Rule 1100, 1976
64-67 Screening and Diversion, 1973-1977
68 Sentencing and Disposition Codes, 1976
69-70 Systems Relations, Undated
71 Three-Year Report, 1976-1977
72 Tie-Line, 1969-1975
73 Victim Counseling Service, 1975
74 Victim Witness Assistance
75 Visiting, 1970-1974
76 Workshop, 1977