BUILDING A UNIFORM STATISTICAL REPORTING SYSTEM

Abstract

This article reports the first descriptive findings from the Snapshot Study of California Family Court Services. The study compiled data about all sessions with clients in 75 branch courts in 51 counties during a fixed period in June 1991. This report is confined to sessions in which mediation was provided. On socioeconomic variables, families involved in mediation ranked lower than the general California population. The results revealed widespread concerns about serious family problems, such as violence and substance abuse. In spite of the grave circumstances facing many families who use court‐connected mediation, a range of independent indicators confirmed that mediation is an effective dispute resolution tool. A high proportion of clients described their agreements as satisfactory and good for their children. The mediation process itself was rated favorably by most clients. The majority of sessions were deemed productive by mediators.

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