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LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM - MYTHS AND REALITIES

NCJ Number
54097
Author(s)
D BALTZ
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
POPULAR CONCEPTIONS REGARDING CRIME, CRIMINALS, POLICE WORK, THE COURT SYSTEM, AND CORRECTIONS ARE REFUTED WITH DATA FROM A NUMBER OF STUDIES. POLICY MAKERS ARE URGED TO TRY TO DISCOVER THE REALITIES OF THE SYSTEM.
Abstract
THE INTRODUCTION POINTS OUT THAT LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS ARE GENERALLY COSTLY, INEFFICIENT, AND INEFFECTIVE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT BEFORE REFORMS CAN BE MADE THE FACTS MUST BE DISCOVERED. COURT AND ARREST DATA ARE USED TO ANSWER THE MYTHS THAT THOSE WHO COMMIT CRIMES ARE EVENTUALLY CAUGHT AND THAT THE MOST SERIOUS FELONS ARE THOSE MOST LIKELY TO BE PUNISHED. DATA FROM THE KANSAS CITY, MO., PATROL EXPERIMENT ARE USED TO ANSWER A NUMBER OF MYTHS ABOUT POLICE PATROL. THE PROBLEMS OF CITIZEN REPORTING OF CRIME, POLICE DISCRETION, AND THE ROUTINE NATURE OF POLICE DETECTIVE WORK ARE REVIEWED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE PATROL OFFICER MAY BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO PURSUE THE CASE THAN A DETECTIVE ASSIGNED DAYS OR WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT. A VARIETY OF STUDIES ARE USED TO REFUTE A NUMBER OF MYTHS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR REFORM. IT IS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT MOST PERSONS IN JAIL AWAITING TRIAL ARE NOT DANGEROUS AND THAT MISUSE OF JAILS AS WAY STATIONS FOR MINOR OFFENDERS IS EXPENSIVE. THE NEED FOR A GOOD PUBLIC DEFENDER SYSTEM, THE NEED FOR COURT EVALUATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE STANDARDS, AND THE NEED FOR POLICIES TO GUIDE PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION ARE ALSO DISCUSSED ALONG WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF VICTIM SERVICES. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS ARE COMPLEX BUT THAT IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE IF POLICYMAKERS MAKE AN EFFORT TO DISCOVER THE REALITIES INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING THE MYTHS. AN APPENDED CHART TRACES THE DECISION POINTS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND CONTRASTS THE TREATMENT GIVEN TO OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS ALSO INCLUDED.