CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION NEEDS OF ILLINOIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS - SYNOPSIS

• NCJ Number: 54731
• Author(s): S B MILNER; B E FERRARA
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2056
• Sponsoring Agency: Illinois Law Enforcement Cmssn (see Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority)
• Corporate Author: Sangamon State University
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION, WASHINGTON, DC, FEBRUARY 22-24, 1977 PANEL 1 - EVALUATION - ITS ROLE, ACTIVITIES, AND RELATIONSHIPS

Annotation

METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS ARE REPORTED OF A SURVEY OF ILLINOIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO DETERMINE THEIR EXISTING KNOWLEDGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE MATTERS AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR CRIMINAL JUSTICE ROLE.

Abstract

IN ILLINOIS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES ARE ORGANIZED, ADMINISTERED, AND FINANCED LARGELY AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL. THE SURVEY DESCRIBED SOUGHT TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: (1) DO LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO MAKE SOUND DECISIONS ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE MATTERS? (2) IF NOT, WHAT ARE THEIR INFORMATIONAL NEEDS? (3) ARE THEY INTERESTED IN THE RESULTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION? AND, (4) WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD THEY WILL USE ANY TECHNICAL INFORMATION OFFERED THEM, INCLUDING THE RESULTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION? A SURVEY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTITIONERS AND THE PLURALITY DECISIONS OF A PANEL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERTS WERE USED TO DERIVE A STANDARD FOR WHAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE EFFECTIVE DECISIONS IN THE AREA OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE TOP INFORMATIONAL NEEDS DERIVED WERE A SYSTEM UNDERSTANDING OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, A BROADER DEFINITION OF CRIME CLIMATE, THE CONCEPT OF DUE PROCESS, MYTHOLOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE SYSTEM, AND THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. A SAMPLE OF 50 MUNICIPALITIES AND 26 COUNTIES WAS SELECTED AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE IN TERMS OF POPULATION OF THE GOVERNMENT JURISDICTION AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION WITHIN THE STATE. FROM THESE, 186 INTERVIEWS WERE OBTAINED OUT OF 204 SOUGHT, WHICH CONSISTED OF ONE HOUR INTERVIEWS WITH RANDOMLY SELECTED CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS, MEMBERS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AT-LARGE. ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE INTERVIEW ARE LISTED. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IS NEITHER FOREMOST IN THEIR MINDS NOR PERCEIVED TO BE IMPORTANT BY MANY OF THEM. FURTHER, THEY TEND TO SEEK INFORMATION FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DECISIONMAKING FROM ONLY LOCAL AGENCIES AND PERSONS. THEY WERE FOUND TO BE INTERESTED IN OBTAINING MORE INFORMATION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING, WITH THE RESULTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION BEING ONE TYPE OF INFORMATION THEY CONSIDER USEFUL; HOWEVER, THEY PREFER THAT IT BE PRESENTED TO THEM IN A CONCISE AND USEFUL FORM. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (RCB)