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Monroe County’s Centralized Arraignment Part Court began operations Monday, in a move designed to improve efficiency in the local criminal justice system.
The county has 20 town courts, two village courts, and one city court, with 47 town and village justices, and 10 city court justices that operate separately and immediate arraignments are held as needed, officials note. The CAP Court aims to take the arraignment burden off local court staff and law enforcement agencies, making it a centralized function.
“The Centralized Arraignment Part Court is a win-win for our criminal justice system and our community,” says County Executive Adam Bello. “Under this new model, law enforcement officers are able to return to duty faster, defendants will have quicker access to legal representation, and court operations will run more efficiently.”
The CAP Court uses the Monroe County Jail and its trained deputies for supervision before arraignment, allowing police and law enforcement officers to return to their duties. According to county officials, CAP will help defendants be arraigned in a timely manner with defense counsel present. Additionally, defendants will be provided with screening for services including substance use disorder, housing and mental health.
“Opening Monroe County’s Centralized Arraignment Part achieves a long sought-after goal for our criminal justice community, and it is gratifying to see it finally come together through the cooperation and collaboration of our many partners and stakeholders,” says William Taylor, administrative judge of the Seventh Judicial District. “Establishing one central arraignment process for the entire county, instead of the current patchwork system, unquestionably makes our justice system work better for the people we serve.”
Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter views centralized arraignments as a way to enhance public safety, by creating fiscal and operational efficiencies within law enforcement agencies.
“Rather than supervising defendants awaiting arraignment, law enforcement officers will transport suspects for arraignment downtown to the Monroe County Jail, where they will be held by professional corrections officers,” Baxter says. “This allows for the law enforcement officers to immediately return to answering calls for service.”
“The CAP guarantees that an assistant district attorney is present at every arraignment in Monroe County, reducing the complications associated with late-night calls and court appearances,” adds Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley.
Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor.
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Sounds like more police dumping ‘suspects’ into the gtistmill of criminal justice without the burden of justifying the arrest or subsequent detention. Easily broken promises of swift legal advocacy for the ‘suspecy’ and zero oversight of the process. No metrics on how swiftly legal council is provided. Just like spring break for police.