COURT CASELOADS,PLEA BARGAINS,AND CRIMINAL SANCTIONS: THE EFFECTS OF SECTION 17 P.C. IN CALIFORNIA*

In an effort to relieve its overburdened superior courts, California introduced a statutory amendment which allowed lesser felonies to be dealt with in lower-level courts. Using an interrupted time-series methodology, this study examines the impact of this change in law on caseloads, plea bargaining, conviction rates, and sentencing in the superior courts. After the statutory intervention there was a reduction in superior court caseloads, but the overall rate of plea bargaining remained relatively constant. However, there were substantial changes in types of plea bargains with a decline in fast pleas and a corresponding rise in slow pleas. It was also found that severity of sanctions was related to the changing caseload patterns. Policy and theoretical implications of these and other findings are discussed.     

Mountaineering fatalities on Mount Rainier, Washington, 1977-1997: autopsy and investigative findings.

Mountain climbing is a popular recreational activity with a growing number of participants and associated fatalities. To define the characteristics of these fatal incidents and the typical autopsy findings in the victims, we reviewed the autopsy and investigative findings of all fatalities that occurred on Mount Rainier from 1977 through 1997. A total of 50 deaths occurred in 29 separate incidents. Fifty-eight percent of accident victims died as the result of a fall; another 34% died as a result of an avalanche. The incidents leading to death occurred at an average altitude of 3652 m (11,977 feet); range, 2073 to 4389 m (6800-14,400 feet). The average age of the victims was 31.2 years (range, 17-55 years), and 47 of the 50 were men (94%). Bodies were not recovered in 13 cases (26%). Autopsies were performed in 30 of the remaining 37 cases. At autopsy, the cause of death was ascribed to multiple injuries in 12 cases (40%), isolated head and neck injuries in 7 cases (23%), and chest injuries in 1 case (3%). Asphyxia and hypothermia were the cause of death in 8 cases (27%) and 2 cases (7%), respectively. The frequency of specific injuries is presented by anatomic region. The unique autopsy and investigative features of mountaineering deaths are discussed.