NCJ Number
180331
Journal
On Good Authority Volume: 2 Issue: 8 Dated: May 1999 Pages: 1-4
Date Published
1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority supported the development and evaluation of three specialized violent offender prosecution (VOP) programs that would apply additional resources to a category of crimes that are inherently more complex and difficult to prosecute.
Abstract
The programs began operating in late 1995 and early 1996, and a 2-year evaluation was launched in June 1996. The programs operated in different criminal justice environments. During the evaluation, Kankakee County had the fewest violent crimes, with 534 violent index offenses reported in 1997. Sangamon County reported three times as many offenses (n=1,584) and Winnebago County reported four times as many offenses (n=2,139). Index offenses included homicide, criminal sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault. The evaluation focused in 1996 and 1997 cases and examined both qualitative and quantitative measures, including interviews, site visits, an analysis of the prosecution caseload from intake through sentencing, offense and arrest records, and court and program data. Evaluation findings showed that VOP programs produced benefits in all three counties. The programs dedicated additional resources to the most work-intensive criminal cases, thereby improving the quality of prosecution. In addition, they provided a valuable opportunity for attorney training and law enforcement agencies benefited from access to experienced prosecutors who were dedicated to violent crime cases. Finally, the programs improved performance in the courtroom, primarily because cases were presented more aggressively and were better prepared by attorneys specializing in a relatively narrow but serious area of crime. 3 figures