NCJ Number
85185
Date Published
1982
Length
369 pages
Annotation
The Dangerous Offender Project traced the careers of 1,591 male violent offenders in Columbus, Ohio, from 1950-76. It compared those offenders convicted of murder, aggravated assault, or forcible rape (MARS) to those convicted of robbery and outlines how the criminal justice system can better target and treat these offenders.
Abstract
The 624 robbery offenders appeared to lead far less stable lives than MARS offenders. They were more likely to be narcotics users, unmarried, parole violators, and prison escapees. The 967 MARS offenders were more likely to abuse alcohol and to be arrested at a later age. The 1,591 subjects were arrested on 12,527 separate occasions, yet only half of those arrests eventually resulted in conviction; for most the penalty was nonprison confinement. About 80 percent of the subjects were arrested more than once; blacks and whites were equally likely to be arrested for a subsequent offense. Robbery offenders were more persistent criminals than MARS offenders in every arrest category. Arrest sequence, type of arrest, and disposition significantly affected recidivism, although penal sanctions only marginally influenced the length of time between subsequent arrests. Public beliefs about declining severity of sanctions are correct, since those born before 1920 were sentenced more severely than younger offenders. Court response to these offenders has been inconsistent; incapacitation does not significantly reduce violent crime rates. Prosecutorial discretion should be strictly limited, plea bargaining made more rational, and sanctions more predictable. Reformers should urge creation of a division of supervision, staffed by sworn police officers, to check on probationers' and parolees' activities. The text includes chapter notes, tables, and an index. Study data, sample forms, and code keys are appended.