BRONX SENTENCING PROJECT OF THE VERA INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE - AN EXPERIMENT OF THE USE OF SHORT-FORM PRESENTENCE REPORTS FOR ADULT MISDEMEANANTS

• NCJ Number: 36607
• Author(s): J M LIEBERMAN; S A SCHAFFER; J M MARTIN
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 125 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Vera Institute of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DESCRIPTION OF THE OPERATION AND RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT DESIGNED TO FURNISH JUDGES WITH INFORMATION ON WHICH TO BASE SENTENCING ALTERNATIVES OTHER THAN IMPRISONMENT OR RELEASE TO THE COMMUNITY.

Abstract

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT A RELATIVELY SMALL STAFF (ORIGINALLY TWO) COULD PRODUCE USEFUL, RELIABLE PRESENTENCE REPORTS WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD AFTER CONVICTION. THE ONE-PAGE REPORT USED IS LIMITED TO A BRIEF COMPILATION OF BEHAVIORAL VARIABLES SUCH AS FAMILY TIES, RESIDENCE EMPLOYMENT, AND CRIMINAL RECORD. A SPECIFIC SENTENCE RECOMMENDATION IS ALSO MADE BASED ON AN OBJECTIVE WEIGHTING OF BEHAVIORAL VARIABLES. THE OVERALL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE RECOMMENDATION AND COURT SENTENCE WAS 68 PERCENT. IN ADDITION TO AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PRESENTENCE REPORTS ORDERED, THE PROJECT CAUSED A RADICAL SHIFT IN THE SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONS RECEIVING THESE REPORTS AND A HIGHER RATE OF NON-PRISON DISPOSITIONS AT THE FIRST APPEARANCE FOR SENTENCING. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM. DEFENDANTS REPRESENTED BY THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY AND THOSE IN CUSTODY AT THE TIME OF SENTENCING RECEIVED PRISON SENTENCES AT A RATE OF 12 PERCENT LOWER THAN THOSE WITHOUT REPORTS. PRIVATE ATTORNEY CASES WITH VERA REPORTS, HOWEVER, RECEIVED PRISON SENTENCES AT A RATE 11 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THOSE WITHOUT REPORTS. SAMPLE DATA COLLECTION AND REPORT FORMS, AS WELL AS THE PROJECT'S SENTENCING RECOMMENDATION GUIDELINES ARE APPENDED.