NCJ Number
83100
Date Published
Unknown
Length
80 pages
Annotation
The New York State Career Criminal Prosecution Program (CCPP) is described, and data are provided for the defendant profile, case processing, dispositions, and sentences.
Abstract
The primary goal of the CCPP was to strengthen and coordinate prosecutorial capability to give priority to the identification, prosecution, conviction, and incarceration of career criminals, so as to reduce their opportunities to commit subsequent offenses. Data on defendants show that of the 1,443 accepted for CCPP prosecution, almost half had prior arrests in a number of New York counties and 22.3 percent had prior arrests outside the State. About 57 percent were in their twenties, compared to 35.6 percent in this age group for all felony defendants statewide. About 78 percent had at least two prior felony arrests and one felony conviction, compared to 20.8 percent of all felony defendants statewide. Almost 53 percent of the 1,007 career criminals who reached disposition were on bail, probation, parole, or other legal restraint at the time of their arrest for the instant offense. The average annual caseload per CCPP attorney was about 20. Almost 39 percent of the defendants were charged with burglary, followed in frequency by robbery. Almost 96 percent of the dispositions were convictions. Of the 930 career criminals convicted and sentenced, 98.7 percent were incarcerated, with 92.2 percent sent to State prison and 6.5 percent sent to local jails. The convicted CCPP defendant was 2 1/2 times more likely to be sentenced to State prison than the average felony defendant. The average prison sentence length for career criminal defendants was 8.1 years. Tabular data are provided, and detailed reports are appended. (Author summary modified)