NCJ Number
85673
Date Published
1981
Length
59 pages
Annotation
This document provides tabular data reflecting adult felony arrest dispositions in California during 1980; variables such as crime committed; offender sex, race, and age; and population of the prosecuting county are included.
Abstract
The report is based on information reported to the Bureau of Criminal Statistics by local and State criminal justice agencies. During 1980, 189,303 dispositions of adult felony arrestees were reported. Of those, 55.8 percent were lower or superior court convictions, of which 6.7 percent were sentenced to State institutions. The remaining 44.2 percent of adult felony arrestees were not convicted. Slightly over 10 percent were released at the law enforcement level, 14.8 percent were released at the prosecutor level, and 18.9 percent were dismissed or acquitted by the courts. Those arrested for crimes against persons were more frequently given sentences to State institutions. Adults arrested for property crimes more often received a combined probation and jail sentence than did those arrested for crimes against persons or drug law violations. Guilty pleas accounted for 95.8 percent of the convictions. Proportionately more females received probation sentences than did males. Compared with other defendants, those under 20 years of age were more likely to be released at the law enforcement level. Counties with populations under 500,000 showed the highest conviction rate. Numerous tables and charts provide the bulk of the information. (Author summary modified)