NCJ Number
81621
Date Published
1982
Length
64 pages
Annotation
This report, based primarily on data from 10 U.S. cities, summarizes the findings of the Governmental Responses to Crime Project's investigation of crime control measures adopted by municipal governments during the period 1948-78.
Abstract
Data on crime problems, governmental and citizen awareness of crime, and changes in laws and ordinances were collected from Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Newark, Oakland (Calif.), Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Jose (Calif.). These cities represent a broad spectrum of geographical locations, growth patterns, political structures, and other features of urban life. The Project concluded that rising crime rates were a national rather than a local phenomenon and that crime became the major item on urban political agendas during the 1970's. Local governments increased criminal justice agency budgets and personnel, but were unable to convert these additional resources into effective crime-fighting activities. Although crime rates rose more rapidly than police resources, court resources kept ahead of rising arrest rates. Cities rarely amended criminal ordinances, but when they did, the effect was to criminalize more behavior and increase potential penalties. State legislatures played an increasingly active role in defining offenses and penalties and reducing sentencing discretion. Efforts to collect information about crime and criminal justice policies must be substantially improved at the local level before the impact of crime controls can be properly evaluated. Tables, graphs, and 19 references are included.