NCJ Number
65852
Journal
Kriminalistik Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 49-53
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE USEFULNESS OF POLICE REPORTS IN WEST GERMAN DAILY NEWSPAPERS AS A SOURCE OF CRIME INFORMATION ARE DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH TECHNIQUES FOR EVALUATING SUCH REPORTS.
Abstract
EXAMINATION OF 606 DAILY NEWSPAPERS FROM ALL 120 WEST GERMAN TOWNS WITH OVER 50,000 INHABITANTS (I.E., 202 PAPERS THREE TIMES IN 1 WEEK OF JUNE, 1977) SHOWS THAT NEWSPAPER COURT AND POLICE CRIME REPORTS COMBINE INFORMATION ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS: OFFENDER BIOGRAPHY; OFFENDER BEHAVIOR AFTER THE CRIME AND IN DETENTION; OFFENDER DESCRIPTIONS TO AID IN APPREHENSION; WITNESS, POLICE, AND JOURNALIST OPINIONS ABOUT OFFENDERS AND OFFENSES; VALUE JUDGEMENTS ABOUT INVESTIGATIONS, PARALLEL CASES, AND CRIME TENDENCIES; PROCEDURAL QUESTIONS; EXPERT OPINIONS; AND REACTIONS OF TRIAL PARTICIPANTS AND OBSERVERS. REPORTS ARE FILED AT ALL STAGES OF POLICE INVESTIGATIONS AND COURT PROCEEDINGS. MANY SPECIAL REPORTS MAY BE PRODUCED BY CRIMINOLOGICAL INSTITUTES OR ASSOCIATIONS, PSYCHIATRIC SPECIALISTS, OR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC EXPERTS. FINAL COURT REPORTS AND FINAL OR PRELIMINARY POLICE REPORTS GIVE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON OFFENSES AND INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES. TWO METHODS FOR EXTRACTING REPORT INFORMATION ARE OUTLINED: FIRST, A TYPOLOGICAL EVALUATION IS USED TO ESTABLISH A MORPHOLOGICAL TABLE OF KEY CRIME CHARACTERISTICS THAT TAKES THEIR FREQUENCY INTO CONSIDERATION. SECOND, A CATALOGING EVALUATION EMPHASIZES TOPOGRAPHY, I.E., UNUSUAL CRIMES DESIGNED TO EXPAND THE CRIMINOLOGISTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CASES. NOTES ARE FURNISHED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)