Theory 089/Law & Forensic Science
Backlogs Are a Flow Ratio
The claim
Case backlog is set by the ratio of filings to disposal capacity rather than by case complexity.
01The mechanism
A queue grows when arrivals exceed service rate; complexity matters only through its effect on that rate.
02Predictions
- P1Backlog should track the ratio.
- P2Complexity should act through capacity, not directly.
03Refutation
Backlog tracking complexity would remove the flow ratio.