NCJ Number
15535
Date Published
1974
Length
252 pages
Annotation
PRESENTS AND ANALYZES DATA FROM POLICE OFFENSE AND ARREST REPORTS ON HOMICIDE, ASSAULT, RAPE AND ROBBERY USING A NATIONWIDE SAMPLE, WITH ELUCIDATION OF SIGNIFICANT PATTERNS.
Abstract
CLEARANCES ARE COMPARED TO NON-CLEARANCES, AND THE MOST APPROPRIATE UNIT OF ANALYSIS, WHETHER INTERACTION, CASE, OR OFFENDER AND VICTIM SEPARATELY, IS USED FOR ANY GIVEN VARIABLE. THE NATIONAL AGGREGATE IS BROKEN INTO REGIONAL GROUPINGS, AND, WHEN POSSIBLE, TRENDS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME ARE FOLLOWED. HOMICIDE AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ARE DETERMINED TO MOST FREQUENTLY INVOLVE BLACK OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS. WEAPONS USED ARE CONSIDERED TO BE LARGELY RELATED TO AVAILABILITY. THE MOST FREQUENT RAPE PATTERN HAS BLACKS AS OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS, BOTH IN THEIR TEENS OR THE WOMEN IN THEIR TEENS AND THE MEN OLDER. ROBBERY IS CONCLUDED TO HAVE A HIGHER INTERRACIAL THAN INTRARACIAL FREQUENCY, WITH YOUNGER BLACK MALES, NOT PREVIOUSLY KNOWN TO THEIR VICTIMS, ROBBING OLDER WHITE MALES OR INSTITUTIONS. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ARE INCLUDED, AND SOME IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS FOR SOCIAL POLICY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE DISCUSSED.