NCJ Number
9524
Date Published
1973
Length
52 pages
Annotation
STUDY TO DETERMINE AMOUNT OF CRIME COMMITTED IN DALLAS BY RECIDIVISTS AND TO IDENTIFY PROCEDURES WHICH CAN BE IMPROVED TO MINIMIZE REPETITION OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
Abstract
THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO WROTE THIS REPORT COLLECTED DATA FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES - A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON RECIDIVISM, AN ANALYSIS OF STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON ALL INCARCERATED DALLAS COUNTY OFFENDERS, PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH INMATES, ARREST STATISTICS, AND A REVIEW OF THE TIME DELAYS WITH THE SYSTEM. THE INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THESE STATISTICS REVEALED THAT REPEAT OFFENDERS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER ONE-HALF OF THE CRIME IN DALLAS WITH THE OFFENSE CATEGORIES OF BURGLARY AND ROBBERY SHOWING THE HIGHEST RECIDIVISM RATE. THE PRIMARY CONCLUSION WAS THAT THERE ARE NOT SUFFICIENT NEGATIVE SANCTIONS TO PREVENT INDIVIDUALS FROM BECOMING REPEAT OFFENDERS. TO STRENGTHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE STUDY RECOMMENDS THAT MEASURES BE DEVELOPED FOR COORDINATING THE EFFORTS OF THE VARIOUS DALLAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AGENCIES. FINALLY, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THERE BE A STRICT PROSECUTION POLICY AGAINST REPEAT AND MULTIPLE OFFENDERS WHICH IS UNDERSTOOD BY EACH COMPONENT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE PUBLIC, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CRIMINAL. (SNI ABSTRACT)