PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF A SEVERITY SCALE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT 13

• NCJ Number: 13248
• Author(s): P B HOFFMAN; J L BECK
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 37 pages
• Grant Number(s): 72-NI-99-0017; NI-71-080
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TWO EXERCISES CONDUCTED WITH DECISION-MAKERS IN ORDER TO DEVELOP PROCEDURES FOR MORE CONSISTENT OFFENSE SEVERITY JUDGMENTS.

Abstract

HEARING EXAMINERS AND BOARD MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES BOARD OF PAROLE RANKED OFFENSE DESCRIPTIONS FROM LEAST TO MOST SEVERE. AGREEMENT ON SEVERITY RATINGS, AMONG BOTH EXAMINERS AND MEMBERS, WAS QUITE HIGH. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEMBERS' AND EXAMINERS' RATINGS WERE EXAMINED AND DISCUSSED. THERE WAS A HIGH CORRELATION BETWEEN THE AVERAGE RATINGS OF THE TWO GROUPS. THE CATEGORIZATION OF OFFENSES ACCORDING TO JUDGED SEVERITY RESULTING FROM THESE EXERCISES WAS INCORPORATED IN GUIDELINES FOR PAROLE DECISION-MAKING DEVELOPED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A CONSISTENT PAROLING POLICY. SINCE THESE GUIDELINES ARE PRESENTLY IN USE IN A PILOT PROJECT OF ACTUAL DECISIONMAKING, THE RESULTS FOUND IMMEDIATE APPLICATION IN A POLICY REVISION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)