NCJ Number
58025
Date Published
1977
Length
41 pages
Annotation
INFORMATION ON ASSAULTS AGAINST CRIMINAL JUSTICE OFFICERS EMPLOYED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES, BRANCHES, OR BUREAUS DURING 1977 IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
SECTORS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTED IN TABLES INCLUDE THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, THE JUDICIAL BRANCH, AND THE POSTAL SERVICE. REPORTS OF INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, AND THE POSTAL SERVICE PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR ANALYSIS. ALL ASSAULTS AND THREATS OF ASSAULTS, ALTHOUGH NO INJURY TO AN OFFICER MAY HAVE RESULTED, ARE COVERED. TEXTUAL, GRAPHIC, AND TABULAR SECTIONS OF THE REPORT FOCUS ON THE NUMBER OF ASSAULT VICTIMS RATHER THAN ON THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS IN WHICH ASSAULTS OCCURRED OR THE NUMBER OF WEAPONS USED. DATA INDICATE THAT THE NUMBER OF FEDERAL OFFICERS ASSAULTED DURING 1977 DECREASED BY 18 PERCENT FROM 1976; 880 ASSAULTS WERE REPORTED IN 1977 AS COMPARED TO 1,074 IN 1976. THE VOLUME OF ASSAULT INCIDENTS DECLINED FROM 830 IN 1976 TO 694 IN 1977, OR 16 PERCENT. FEWER ASSAULT VICTIMS WERE REPORTED BY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT, AND THE POSTAL SERVICE. BOTH THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT AND THE JUDICIAL BRANCH EXPERIENCED INCREASES. NO FEDERAL OFFICERS WERE KILLED DUE TO FELONIOUS ACTIONS IN 1977, BUT THE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS RESULTING IN INJURIES SHOWED A 9-PERCENT INCREASE OVER 1976. MOST FREQUENT VICTIMS OF INJURIES WERE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS. THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES LED THE COUNTRY WITH 275 ASSAULTS. MOST ASSAULTS OCCURRED WHILE VICTIMS WERE CONDUCTING EITHER ARRESTS OR INVESTIGATIONS. THREATS TO ASSAULT CONSTITUTED THE MOST COMMON MENACE. DETAILED TABLES ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH SUMMARIES OF SELECTED ASSAULT INCIDENTS. (DEP)