What is the advantage of including or expanding the legislative role in planning long-range court system improvement?
Expanding the legislative role in court planning and improvement can help to increase levels of understanding and open channels of communication between legislatures and courts. Increased knowledge of court operations aids legislators and legislative staff involved with issues such as court funding, including staff and facility needs. Being involved in court planning also helps legislators monitor how new laws affect court operations (e.g., new criminal offenses or increases in the number of law enforcement personnel may lead to increases in court caseloads). Legislative participation in planning and broad-based legislative acceptance of recommendations is essential to the implementation of long-range strategies outlined by a commission. See Ridge et al. (1992), p. 22-24.
