NCJ Number
85778
Date Published
1976
Length
99 pages
Annotation
Minnesota's criminal justice system is analyzed, with emphasis on how the system works, how well it works, and how well it adapts to change.
Abstract
Data analysis reveals that the overall number of crimes committed in Minnesota is very large. Victimization studies indicate that as many as one-half million crimes occur annually. In comparison to the total volume of crime in the State, the number of criminal defendants processed by the system is small. Thus, it is not expected that the system can have a major role in controlling or reducing crime through its direct effect on those persons coming under its authority. Arrest data indicate that juveniles commit a large percentage of the violent crimes and a majority of the nonviolent crimes such as burglary and larceny. Because of funneling in the system, a change in the flow of defendants through any part of the system can have a great effect, on later segments of the system. Data reflecting crime rates are subject to a variety of errors, primarily because the majority of less serious crimes are neither reported to nor detected by the police. However, examination of arrest data and clearance rates can indicate, to a limited degree, the effectiveness of the police in controlling crime. The courts are a puzzling area in the analysis. For the most part, they do not determine by trial the guilt or innocence of criminal defendants. Exactly how prosecutors and courts operate regarding plea negotiations and sentencing decisions is not open to public scrutiny. It appears that there is no effective way to measure the impact of prisons on crime and on other system components. Only a small percentage of criminals are confined to prisons, so deterrence effectiveness is difficult to assess. In addition, the data do not support prison or probation services based on rehabilitation success rates. Tables, 11 illustrations, and a 31-entry bibliography are provided.