NCJ Number
29088
Date Published
1974
Length
58 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NUMERICAL WEIGHTING SYSTEM THAT WOULD OBJECTIVELY SCREEN, RANK, AND IDENTIFY CASES TO BE REFERRED TO THE MAJOR OFFENSE BUREAU (MOB) FOR INTENSIVE REVIEW AND SPEEDY PROSECUTION.
Abstract
OTHER OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT UNDERTAKEN BY THE NATIONAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S ASSOCIATION INCLUDED DESIGNING THE SYSTEM SO THAT IT COULD BE EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE OFFICE AND DEVELOPING FORMS TO SUPPORT AND CONTROL THE CASE EVALUATION SYSTEM. THIS REPORT FIRST SUMMARIZES THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MOB AND ITS OPERATION, ANALYZES THE USE OF CASE EVALUATION SYSTEMS AND SELECTIVE PROSECUTION, AND PRESENTS ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THE MAJOR OFFENSE BUREAU OF THE BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IDENTIFIED AND HANDLED THOSE CASES IN WHICH THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE OR THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENDER WARRANTED SPECIAL PROSECUTORIAL ATTENTION. EFFORTS WERE AIMED AT MINIMIZING INCONSISTENCIES IN THE TREATMENT OF SIMILAR CASES AND REDUCING THE TIME REQUIRED BETWEEN ARREST AND FINAL CASE DISPOSITION. PRIOR TO THIS PROJECT, THE MAJOR OFFENSE BUREAU HAD DEVELOPED A FORM WHICH ASSIGNED POINT SCORES TO ELEMENTS OF A CASE IN THREE MAJOR AREAS: (1) THE NATURE OF THE CASE, (2) THE DEFENDANT EVALUATION, AND (3) THE STRENGTH OF THE CASE. AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED TO EXAMINE THE POINT SCORES PREVIOUSLY SET BY MOB AND TO MODIFY THE WEIGHTS TO REFLECT WITH STATISTICAL ACCURACY THE POLICY OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. OUTLINED IN SEQUENTIAL FORM ARE THE PROCEDURES FOLLOWED TO ESTABLISH THE CASE RANKING SYSTEM, TO IDENTIFY CASES TO BE REFERRED TO THE MOB, AND TO MODIFY EXISTING FORMS OR DESIGN NEW FORMS TO ASSIST IN CASE AND TRIAL PREPARATION. TABULAR DATA IS ALSO INCLUDED. AN EXTENSIVE APPENDIX IS ATTACHED TO THIS REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)