NCJ Number
34203
Date Published
1974
Length
250 pages
Annotation
THIS PROJECT USED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCE MATERIALS TO DEVELOP A SERIES OF TELEVISION FILMS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH DETAILED, ACCURATE INFORMATION ON CRIME AND THE SUCCESS OF PREVENTION/DETERRENCE PROGRAMS.
Abstract
THIS PROJECT WAS ALSO DESIGNED TO PROMOTE INCREASED AWARENESS ON THE PART OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS TO THE EXACT NATURE OF THESE CRIMES AND THEIR REACTIONS TO THEM AND TO ENCOURAGE INCREASED CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN EFFORTS TO REDUCE CRIME. THE UNDERLYING PREMISE OF THE PROJECT IS TO TAKE THE INFORMATION CONCERNING CRIME FROM THE MOST RELIABLE SOURCES AND TRANSMIT THEM TO THE PUBLIC IN A FORM THAT IS AS WIDELY ACCEPTABLE AS 'KOJAK,' BUT AS ACCURATE AND DOCUMENTED AS THE VICTIMIZATION SURVEY OR THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORT. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, A GREAT BODY OF CRIME STATISTICS AND INFORMATION WAS COMPILED FROM SOURCES SUCH AS THE COMPUTERIZED CRIME INFORMATION STATISTICS AVAILABLE FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION, THE FBI, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH OFFICIALS OF THESE AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, FIELD TRIPS, AND LIBRARY RESEARCH. THIS INFORMATION WAS THEN DIVIDED INTO CATEGORIES APPLICABLE TO THE THIRTEEN PROGRAMS PLANNED FOR THE SERIES - CORRUPTION, RAPE, POLICE, BURGLARY, MURDER, COURTS, WHITE COLLAR CRIME, VICTIMLESS CRIMES, PRISONS, ROBBERY, CRIMES AGAINST THE PEOPLE, CONSUMER FRAUD, AND YOUTH. PLANNED PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION INVOLVES USE OF THE DOCUMENTARY/ ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT UTILIZING TWO PROGRAM HOSTS - ONE WITH THE POPULAR IDENTIFICATION OF A 'KOJAK' OR 'COLUMBO' AND ONE WITH THE AUTHORITY-FIGURE IDENTIFICATION OF A MAJOR NEWSMAN OR PUBLIC OFFICIAL INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED FOR DISSEMINATION ON ONE OF THE MAJOR TELEVISION NETWORKS, OR AS A 'SYNDICATED' SERIES DISTRIBUTED ON A NATIONWIDE BASIS TO INDIVIDUAL TELEVISION STATIONS. THIS REPORT CONTAINS A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND DATA COLLECTION METHODS, A DISCUSSION OF THE PRODUCTION AND EDITORIAL APPROACH, SCRIPT SYNOPSES FOR EACH OF THE THIRTEEN EPISODES, THE PROJECT 'TRANSFER PACKAGE,' A PRE-PRODUCTION SHOOTING SCHEDULE AND OUTLINE, A SERIES BUDGET, A DISCUSSION OF PROJECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND PLACEMENT ON NETWORK TELEVISION, AND A SUMMARY OF THE AUDIO-VISUAL NEEDS OF AGENCIES SERVED BY LEAA.