NCJ Number
143372
Date Published
1977
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study examines how intra-agency criminal justice statistics fail to contribute to a wider analysis of criminal justice system processing, identifies obstacles to this wider analysis, and suggests how they can be removed.
Abstract
As currently compiled, crime data are more appropriate for intra-agency purposes than for use as indicators of how well criminal justice agencies as a team are combating crime within a jurisdiction. This circumstance is illustrated in an analysis of criminal justice performance -- as indicated by conviction and incarceration rates -- for the crimes of commercial robbery, commercial burglary, and aggravated assault. The data are examined from various perspectives, including those of police, prosecutor, and victim. Washington, D.C., is the jurisdiction studied. The study then examines how the collection of crime data can be improved to enhance their utility to policymakers. Various statistical adjustments are recommended so that court, prosecutory, police, and victimization data can be compared to obtain systemwide performance measures for various crimes. The analysis also identifies the points -- from victimization to conviction -- criminal incidents drop out of the criminal justice process. 8 exhibits