Rural Courts: An Illinois Study

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This study involved the review of685felony casesfor two calendar years in three rural Illinois counties in an attempt to fill an important research need in the study of the operation of rural courts. Variables studied included nature of offenses in formal felony cases, method of adjudication, extent of guilty pleas and plea agreements, and nature of defendant representation. Most formal felony cases involved property offenses, most cases reaching arraignment were disposed of by guilty pleas involving plea agreements, and a high proportion of defendants were indigent and utilized county public defenders. In these aspects, these rural courts operated in ways similar to their more urban counterparts. However, the reasons for these characteristics (most especially the extent ofplea negotiation) may derivefrom the rural andfamiliar nature of the courts studied in addition to other possibilities.