NCJ Number
53590
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 45 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 60-65
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
PROBLEMS FACED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE POLICE IN RELATION TO CRIME SUPPRESSION AND DETERRENCE ARE ADDRESSED.
Abstract
GOALS OF THE POLICE ARE STIPULATED IN POLICE MANUALS, GUIDES, AND RULES OF PROCEDURE. ALTHOUGH WRITTEN DIFFERENTLY, THE MAJOR GOAL IS TO PREVENT AND DETER CRIME. THE QUESTION IS RAISED AS TO WHETHER CRIME DETERRENCE IS AN ACHIEVABLE GOAL FOR THE POLICE. ONLY 20 TO 30 PERCENT OF POLICE TIME IS SPENT ON CRIME-RELATED MATTERS, AND ONE STUDY SUGGESTS THAT ONLY 40 PERCENT OF ALL KNOWN CRIMES OCCUR IN LOCATIONS WHERE THEY CAN BE OBSERVED BY NONPARTICIPANTS AND THUS POTENTIALLY DETERRED BY THE POLICE. IF CRIME IS NOT OBSERVABLE, IT FOLLOWS THAT CRIME IS NOT DETERRABLE. ACCORDING TO AN LEAA REPORT ON TRADITIONAL PREVENTATIVE PATROL DETERRENCE, DETERRENCE INVOLVES ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO AFFECT PERCEPTIONS OF POTENTIAL CRIMINALS ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF APPREHENSION. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY THE COURTS, CAN ACHIEVE A HIGHER DEGREE OF GENERAL DETERRENCE THAN THE POLICE. PERSONS DETERRENCE IS INTENDED TO INFLUENCE ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS PSYCHOPATHS OR SOCIOPATHS. CHARACTERISTICS OF PSYCHOPATHS ARE DESCRIBED. CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIME DETERRENCE ACTIVITIES ON THE PART OF THE POLICE, CHANGE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND CRIMINAL LAW AS A DETERRENT ARE CONSIDERED. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT CAN HANDLE 2,000 CASES PER DAY WITHOUT REDUCING THE RIGHTS OF DEFENDANTS IS RECOMMENDED. (DEP)