NCJ Number
57802
Journal
Law and Human Behavior Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 95-105
Date Published
1979
Length
11 pages
Annotation
METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY WHICH EXAMINED WHETHER LEGAL VARIABLES PREDICT POLICE DISPOSITIONS IN THE PROSECUTION OF JUVENILES IN ISRAEL.
Abstract
FIRST ARRESTS FOR FELONY-TYPE ACTS OF 479 JEWISH ADOLESCENTS, AGED 13.5-15.5, WERE EXAMINED IN THE TEL AVIV AREA IN A 1-YEAR PERIOD. SUBJECTS WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE TOTAL POPULATION OF JUVENILES APPREHENDED BY THE POLICE DURING 1972. THE LEGAL VARIABLES INVESTIGATED WERE OF TWO TYPES--OFFENSE-RELATED VARIABLES (TYPE AND SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE) AND OFFENDER-RELATED VARIABLES (EXTENT OF THE JUVENILE'S PREVIOUS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM). THE FINDINGS SHOW THAT POLICE DISPOSITION IS A FUNCTION OF THE EXTENT OF THE JUVENILE'S PREVIOUS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IF THE JUVENILE HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REFERRED TO COURT, IT WAS PROBABLE THAT THE POLICE WOULD DECIDE TO INITIATE PROSECUTION. HOWEVER, WHEN JUVENILES HAD NO PREVIOUS COURT REFERRALS, THE PREDICTING POWER OF THE FEW AVAILABLE LEGAL VARIABLES WAS FOUND TO BE NEGLIGIBLE. IN APPLYING THE LABELING AND DETERRENCE THEORIES OF APPROACH TO HANDLING JUVENILES, THE LABELING THEORY WOULD RECOMMEND NO PROSECUTION TO PREVENT THE JUVENILE'S FUTURE DELINQUENCY; WHEREAS THE DETERRENCE APPROACH WOULD LEAD TO PROSECUTION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOALS. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT WHEN THE FOREGOING OF PROSECUTION DOES NOT HAVE THE INTENDED REHABILITATIVE EFFECT, THE POLICE WILL ADVOCATE PROSECUTION FOR SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT OFFENSES IN THE INTEREST OF DETERRENCE. SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ARE PRESENTED TO IMPROVE THE PREDICTABILITY OF POLICE DISPOSITIONS AT THE EARLY STAGES OF THE JUVENILE'S INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)