NCJ Number
393
Date Published
1970
Length
60 pages
Annotation
DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING APPREHENSION EFFORTS AND APPLICATION OF THESE CRITERIA TO EXISTING PROGRAMS.
Abstract
THE STUDY CONCENTRATES ON PROGRAMS LEADING TO THE ARREST OF PART I OFFENDERS - THOSE WHO COMMIT HOMICIDE, RAPE, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, BURGLARY, GRAND LARCENY, AND AUTO THEFT. THE CLEARANCE RATE IS THE FRACTION OF CRIMES REPORTED TO THE POLICE THAT THE POLICE CLAIM TO HAVE SOLVED. PROBABILITY OF ARREST WAS ADOPTED AS A MORE ACCURATE MEASURE OF APPREHENSION PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS. THE STUDY SUGGESTS EACH ARREST SHOULD BE QUALIFIED BY THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE AND THE FINAL COURT DISPOSITION OF THE CASE, SO THAT DETECTIVE WORK RESULTING IN ARREST OF THE MORE SERIOUS OFFENDERS OR IN HIGHER CONVICTION RATES WILL BE FAVORABLY RECOGNIZED AND ENCOURAGED. IN DETERMINING THE PREFERRED ALLOCATION OF MANPOWER AMONG APPREHENSION ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS INVESTIGATION, PATROL, STAKEOUTS, AND TAILS, IT IS NECESSARY TO ESTIMATE THE MARGINAL PRODUCTIVITY OF ADDITIONAL MANPOWER IN TERMS OF ARRESTS PER MAN-DAY. FOR PART I CRIMES, THE PROBABILITY OF ARRESTS DIFFERS VASTLY BETWEEN THE CRIMES OF PASSION--HOMICIDE, RAPE, AND ASSAULT--AND THE CRIMES OF PROFIT--ROBBERY, BURGLARY, AND LARCENY. THIS PROBABILITY IS HIGH FOR CRIMES OF PASSION; AND THE STUDY OF ASSAULT SHOWED THAT THE PROBABILITY INCREASES AS MORE EFFORT IS DEVOTED TO EACH CASE. FOR CRIMES OF PROFIT THE PROBABILITY OF ARREST IS EXTREMELY LOW. ARRESTS FOR PROPERTY CRIMES ARE PICKUP ARRESTS MADE NEAR THE SCENE OF THE CRIME OR AS A RESULT OF EVIDENCE THAT IS READILY APPARENT AT THE TIME THE CRIME IS REPORTED.