CRIME COSTS OF CALIFORNIA EARLY MINOR OFFENDERS - IMPLICATIONS FOR PREVENTION

• NCJ Number: 43108
• Journal: Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Dated: (JULY 1977) Pages: 195-205
• Author(s): T HIGGINS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT YOUNG JUVENILES APPREHENDED FOR MINOR OFFENSES IN CALIFORNIA IN 1974 WILL COMMIT FUTURE DETECTED CRIMES COSTING $84 MILLION AND FUTURE UNDETECTED CRIMES COSTING ABOUT $930 MILLION.

Abstract

THESE CALCULATIONS ARE BASED ON PREVIOUS STUDIES OF EARLY OFFENDERS APPREHENDED, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ARRESTED, FOR INDEX AND NONINDEX OFFENSES. AVAILABLE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT SUCH YOUTHS ACCOUNT FOR SIZEABLE FUTURE CRIME COSTS. PREVENTION PROGRAMS TARGETED TO POSSIBLE YOUNG OFFENDERS ARE JUSTIFIED ON THE BASIS THAT THEY COST RELATIVELY LITTLE. UNFORTUNATELY, PAST EFFORTS HAVE PROVED LARGELY INEFFECTIVE. WHILE IT SEEMS HARD TO JUSTIFY A SIZEABLE COMMITMENT TO JUVENILE CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS ON THE BASIS OF PAST EXPERIENCE, THE COSTS OF CRIMES COMMITTED BY EARLY MINOR OFFENDERS SUGGESTS THERE SHOULD BE SOME NEW OR RENEWED PREVENTION PROGRAMS BUT THEY SHOULD BE SMALL, CAREFULLY EVALUATED, AND FUNDED FOR SHORT TERMS.