NCJ Number
49421
Date Published
1976
Length
329 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECT OF EXTRALEGAL FACTORS ON PROBATION OFFICERS' PRESENTENCE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COURT ARE EXAMINED IN A STUDY OF 53 NEW YORK CITY PROBATION OFFICERS' PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION OF 1,149 MISDEMEANOR CASES.
Abstract
FOUR FACTORS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AMONG THE MAJOR INFLUENCES ACCOUNTING FOR VARIATIONS IN PRESENTENCE RECOMMENDATIONS: (1) THE OFFICERS' BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS; (2) THE OFFICERS' ROLE SET; (3) THE OFFICERS' PROFESSIONAL-BUREAUCRATIC ORIENTATION; AND (4) OFFENDER-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS. THESE VARIABLES WERE CORRELATED WITH THE ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS (DEPENDENT VARIABLE) OF DISCHARGE PROBATION, AND COMMITMENT. THE SUBJECTS WERE OFFICERS IN THE NEW YORK CITY CRIMINAL COURT WHO CONDUCTED PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATIONS OF MISDEMEANANTS. THE CASES WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED TO OBTAIN THE OFFICER'S RECOMMENDATION AND THE OFFENDER'S CRIMINAL RECORD AND RACE. THE OFFICERS' CHARACTERISTICS WERE OBTAINED FROM A QUESTIONNAIRE. HYPOTHESES WERE PRESENTED AND OPERATIONALIZED, AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED BY SCORES AT THE OFFICER LEVEL. SEVERITY OF RECOMMENDATION (SRS) SCORES WERE FORMED FOR EACH OFFICER BY TYPE OF CRIME. THE SUBJECTS WERE FOUND TO BE SIMILAR TO PROBATION OFFICERS ELSEWHERE IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, BUT THERE WAS A HIGHER PROPORTION OF FEMALE OFFICERS, AND THEY WERE YOUNGER AND HAD FEWER YEARS OF SERVICE. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFENDERS' CHARACTERISTICS (SUCH AS RACE, PREVIOUS ARRESTS, AND CONVICTIONS) AND THE OFFICERS' SRS WAS TESTED, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFICERS' CHARACTERISTICS (RACE, RELIGION, MARITAL STATUS, AND POLITICAL ORIENTATION) AND SRS WERE STUDIED. OUT OF 16 HYPOTHESES ACTUALLY TESTED FOR EACH CRIME, ONLY 13 WERE ACCEPTED. THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE CONSISTENCY OF THE DOMINANT ROLE PLAYED BY NUMBER OF ARRESTS THROUGHOUT THE STUDY. FUTURE RESEARCH IS SUGGESTED TO EXAMINE HOW ORGANIZATIONAL NORMS REGARDING PRIOR CRIMINAL RECORD ARE TRANSMITTED TO THE OFFICER. A RESTRUCTURING OF THE PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION IS ALSO RECOMMENDED. PERSONNEL PRACTICES SHOULD BE REVIEWED REGARDING PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION, AND OFFICERS' DISCRETIONARY POWERS OUGHT TO BE RESEARCHED FURTHER. APPENDIXES INCLUDE THE QUESTIONNAIRE, CODING SCHEME, GLOSSARY OF TERMS, AND A STANDARD PRESENTENCE REPORT OUTLINE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)