NCJ Number
8622
Date Published
1972
Length
323 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SANCTIONING ACTIVITIES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND THE MAGNITUDE OF THE CRIME PROBLEM IS STUDIED.
Abstract
STATISTICS FROM 58 COUNTY JURISDICTIONS IN CALIFORNIA WERE REVIEWED FOR DIFFERING RATES OF ARREST, PRE-TRIAL DISPOSITION, CONVICTION, AND SENTENCING. VARIATIONS IN SANCTIONING STRATEGIES WERE ANALYZED IN RELATION TO THE NUMBER AND SERIOUSNESS OF REPORTED FELONY CRIMES. STATISTICAL DIFFERENCES IN SANCTION PATTERNS BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW CRIME JURISDICTIONS WERE ALMOST RANDOM. HOWEVER, THERE WERE GROSS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MORE AND LESS URBANIZED COUNTIES, WITH HIGHER SANCTION LEVELS AT THE POLICE AND PRETRIAL STAGES IN THE LATTER. THE DATA WAS ALSO USED TO COMPARE THE CRIME CONTROL EFFECTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES AND SOCIAL FACTORS. THE FINDINGS FROM THIS ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT HIGHER SANCTION LEVELS WERE ALMOST UNIFORMLY ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER CRIME LEVELS, THAT SOCIAL FACTORS HAD CONSIDERABLY GREATER EFFECT ON CRIME LEVELS THAN DID CRIMINAL JUSTICE OPERATIONS, AND THAT THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTION BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES TO CRIME CONTROL CAME FROM SANCTIONS AT THE POLICE AND SENTENCING STAGES. SEE NCJ-008044 FOR A SUMMARY OF THE STUDY'S METHODOLOGY, STATISTICAL MEASURING DEVICES, AND CONCLUSIONS. BIBLIOGRAPHY.